The palace hallways were silent at this hour, the kind of stillness that made each step sound louder than it should. Ignareth's stride was unhurried as he led Kaerth down a narrow passage lit only by sconces.
Neither of them spoke at first. Kaerth could feel the weight of his own thoughts — and the echo of Noah's earlier words still tugging at the back of his mind.
They emerged into the open air. The balcony overlooked the lower courtyards, the gardens spread out in the pale silver of moonlight. From here, the palace looked calm… but Kaerth knew that beneath the calm, the politics were shifting like currents under ice.
Ignareth leaned against the stone railing, his profile outlined in the glow. "Do you trust Noah?"
Kaerth gave him a sharp look. "Why are you asking me that?"
"Because the answer matters," Ignareth said, his tone low. "More than you realize."