#Chapter 207 – Playing the Game

Asher I loved the Council Chamber. It was full of the scent of old wood and the faint tang of nervous sweat under the stink of authority. Yes, I’d always liked this room. The King’s chair sat empty at the head of the long table, its shadow stretching toward me in a way that I took as an invitation. For months, that emptiness had been the gossip of the Court. Damon had left chasing after Lila in the north, and now, his kingdom waited for someone to fill the void. It would be me, but the art of control lies in patience. “Gentlemen,” I said finally, my voice echoing off the high ceilings, smooth and confident. “We’ve all felt the strain of my cousin, His Majesty’s… extended absence.” Heads lifted, wary. Even now, no one wanted to speak so openly about Damon. The Lycan King’s name still carried some weight in this chamber. I let the silence stretch until it became uncomfortable. Then, with a sigh soft enough to sound genuine, I continued. “The King’s grief was once our own.