#Chapter 127 - Treason

Lila I wasn’t supposed to be in this wing. The western corridor was quiet. I’d come this way on instinct more than intention, taking the long route back to my chambers after leaving the infirmary, trying to shake off the heaviness pressing behind my ribs. A sharp breath. A whisper of movement. I froze when I heard the voices. Faint, but unmistakable. Tucked around the corner where the corridor curved around toward an old reading room. I leaned in, careful not to let my shadow cross the stone. “I’m not making accusations,” a familiar voice said, calm and deliberate. “But if there’s doubt—if even the hint of illegitimacy takes root…” Asher. I edged closer, heart suddenly beating faster. I stopped just short of the open archway. The scent of wax and old parchment drifted out—familiar, nostalgic. But his voice made it feel like a trap. “—what happens to the Council’s confidence? To trust in his rule?” A second voice, older and colder, murmured something I couldn’t c