Chapter 117 Shadows At The Table: Part Two

• Conversations continue to drift around the table, carefully crafted exchanges about weather and social events that carry undercurrents of power and politics. But beneath the polite veneer, I feel Kane continue to watch me. His gaze lands on me between bites, between sips of wine, between words—measuring, calculating, waiting.
• Eat. You need to eat. Remember what Efrem said.
• I bring a spoonful to my lips, forcing it into my mouth. My hand trembles slightly as I dip it back into the bowl, slowly chewing the mix of vegetables and noodles. It slides down my throat easier than expected, but it’s not enough to convince prying eyes.