Loretta walked through the palace corridors with a quiet satisfaction she could not quite hide.
The morning had barely begun, yet she already carried something far more interesting than gossip. The image of Kael standing outside Selena's chamber had replayed in her mind the entire walk, each memory sharpening the small details she had noticed in his expression.
He had tried to hide it.
But she had seen the crack.
And if there was a crack between Kael and Selena, even a small one, Loretta intended to poke more.
The look on Kael's face had stayed with her.
It had not been obvious, and that was precisely why it mattered.
Kael had controlled himself well enough that most people would have seen nothing unusual in the brief exchange they shared outside Selena's chamber.
