Chapter 149: Pressure from Within

King Ryu Pinion sat in his private study, the heavy velvet curtains drawn tightly against the late afternoon sun. The chamber was bathed in the soft glow of candlelight, casting long shadows that seemed to stretch across the polished stone floor.

While there was modern lighting is much of the castle, the candles pleased him, so he insisted on their presents, at least in certain rooms.

In the silence, he could hear only the soft crackle of the fire and the ticking of the ancient clock on the mantle. His mind, however, was anything but quiet.

The trial against Kelan Benedict had dominated the capital for weeks now, pulling the eyes of the entire kingdom toward Kerrigan Lokir.

Her growing influence disturbed him—there was a sense of inevitability in the way her popularity had blossomed, how the people spoke of her. Even within the High Council, there were whispers of admiration, quiet but dangerous.

And Conor. Always Conor.

The King’s jaw tightened at the thought of him. Conor Brantley,