Inside, Jian Ci was burning. He wanted to protect Yu Xi, to sever him from Thaurion's poisonous reach. He wanted to grab Yu Xi's hand and walk out of this hall, away from the man who had ruined his mother's life. But he couldn't. He was weak, powerless in this place.
So he humbled himself, forced his aura down, and bowed his head. He couldn't show his strength here. Not yet.
"Father," Jian Ci said, his voice low but steady. "I apologise for being late."
Thaurion's eyes narrowed as he looked at his son's strong back, bent in humility. It didn't suit him at all. Seeing him like this was both satisfying and irritating.
"Get up," Thaurion commanded, his voice cold. "And come here."
Outside, in the hovercar parked discreetly beyond the palace gates, Jian Rui and Jian Wei listened in through the transparent device. The moment Thaurion spoke, both brothers tensed.
