Mira looked smaller without the false belly. Not weaker. Smaller. She sat at the far end of the Crown inquiry room in plain gray clothes, both hands cuffed in front of her. No white dress. No bronze key. No tears prepared for Ronan. Two neutral guards stood behind he

Ronan arrived at the capital before noon. Not with warriors. Not with an escort. With three ledgers under one arm and a sealed quartermaster box under the other. That was new.

The Crown Council inquiry room had emptied except for me, Cassian, two clerks, and an

Cassian read Severin's arrest order once. Then he unbuckled his sword. I stared at him.

"What are you doing?"

"Preventing twenty Royal Guards from drawing steel against twenty palace guards."

He placed the sword on the council table. The room had filled quickly