The night air in the palace corridors was cold enough to turn breath into pale mist. Noah's boots echoed sharply against the polished marble as he cut through the long hallway toward the east wing. He hadn't seen Kaerth in hours, not since before the Dravencian meeting.
He had expected him to walk in halfway through the dinner, maybe even sit beside him — a quiet, visual statement to the envoys that Noah's position was unshakable. Instead, Kaerth hadn't appeared at all.
And then, at the very end of the evening, Noah had seen him in the distance… walking beside Ignareth.
That image had been gnawing at him ever since.
He stopped outside the smaller audience room, where the guards on duty bowed and opened the door. Inside, Kaerth was alone, sitting near the tall arched windows with one knee drawn up, staring out at the gardens.
Noah shut the door behind him. "You skipped the meeting."
Kaerth didn't turn. "I know."
"That's it? No explanation?"
