(GRIFFIN)
The whispers follow me through the palace corridors like shadows—hushed voices falling silent as I approach, only to resume with greater fervor once I pass. It's still a little less than a week until the ceremony, but the palace is rife with gossip.
I pay them little mind until I hear Maya's name.
"—sleeping with the human scientist. I heard—"
"—in his bed. Aria saw her leaving his chambers at dawn—"
My steps falter. Not because I'm ashamed, far from it, but because I know how cruel these rumors can be. How quickly they can mutate into something vicious. The noble families have always been skilled at turning gossip into weapons.
I'm about to continue on my way when Elder Vane steps into my path, his expression carefully composed into something resembling concern.
"Your Majesty," he says with a bow that's just a beat too short to be properly respectful. "May I have a word?"
I incline my head slightly, betraying none of the wariness I feel. "Of course, Elder Vane."
