The chamber door shut behind Liora, and the guards locked it from the outside. The room was small but clean, with a bed, a single chair, and a cradle for Silver. Two guards stood directly outside the door, their shadows visible beneath the threshold. Liora sat on the edge of the bed, holding Silver close as he fed quietly. She kept her breathing steady so he wouldn’t sense her tension.

Silver finished feeding and drifted into a light sleep. Liora placed him gently in the cradle and stood ...