Alistair's POV

I remain in my office with Cormac, tackling the last remnants of the day’s reports, when a knock echoes through the space. The sound scrapes against my patience—a fuse already short thanks to Freya. Earlier, I had taken painstaking care to send her something tailored for the occasion. She, in turn, had sent it back without a word of explanation. That quiet rebellion bites deeper than I’d like to admit, amplifying my already brittle mood.

So, ...