Chapter 197: What Truly Reached Her
The castle halls had quieted considerably since the conclusion of the competition.
Though servants still moved through the corridors with polished silver trays and soft-footed efficiency, and guards remained stationed beside archways and staircases in disciplined silence, the greater excitement that had filled the palace earlier in the day had long since settled into subdued conversation behind closed doors.
Rain clouds had begun gathering beyond the tall windows overlooking the eastern gardens, turning the late morning light silver-grey as it filtered through the glass.
Inside one of the smaller receiving chambers overlooking the inner courtyard, Marcus, Baron Redwick's second-in-command, sat comfortably near the hearth with a drink in hand.
