Eira’s POV

Even after nearly a year of training, stepping into the king’s audience chamber as one of his servants still made my heart pound. No amount of practice could erase that fear completely.

I played my part flawlessly, passing coded glances, speaking in hints, moving in and out of the room under the guise of duty, and quietly sketching magical sigils to break the Northern Duke’s tracking spell.

Every line of those symbols strained my memory; they were intricate, old, and ...