Chapter 43: Secrets in the Shadows

The early morning light filtered through the sheer curtains of Kerrigan's guest quarters, casting a soft glow over the room. She sat on the edge of her bed, still in her nightgown, staring at the small wooden box in her hands. The events of the previous night played over and over in her mind—the formal dinner, the conversation with Prince Khalid, and the way Conor had watched her, his eyes filled with a mix of longing and uncertainty.

She had seen the pain in his eyes, the way he had stiffened when the Duke subtly pushed him aside, treating him as little more than a bodyguard. She had felt the weight of her own words, the careful diplomacy she had employed, knowing full well that every word, every gesture was being scrutinized—not just by the Duke, but by Conor as well.

But there was something else gnawing at her, something that had been tugging at the edges of her consciousness ever since she arrived at the Duke’s estate. It was a feeling she couldn’t quite place, a sense that there