(Lucien's POV)
Malrec was good at his job.
No, he was the best. The way he maneuvered through the shadows of the palace, whispering doubt into ears that hungered for suspicion, was almost an art.
And now, as I leaned against the cold stone of my usual chamber window, I could already feel it, the seeds I had planted were taking root.
Whispers. Faint at first, carried from one servant to another, muttered behind the heavy curtains of council rooms, sliding through the corridors like smoke. They questioned King Adrian's loyalty. He had become the subject of speculation without even knowing it. Malrec had played his part perfectly, and his men even more so.
By now, even some of the elders had begun to doubt Adrian's dedication. Some talking about his hesitation where he was asked to attack the wolves.
I should stop calling him King, I thought, a smirk tugging at the corner of my lips. Adrian was no king of mine. Not anymore.
