Chapter 71 Political Intrigue

• The morning began with whispers. Rumors swept through the palace like a brisk, unwelcome wind, stirring tensions in every corridor I walked. I could feel it in the air—an uneasy murmur that seemed to carry my name on its lips, heavy with suspicion and doubt.
• As I made my way toward the council chambers, the looks from the servants, the guards, even some of my own allies, were different today. Lingering glances, sidelong stares, and the occasional hushed word. This was no coincidence. The smear campaign had begun, and I was walking straight into it.
• Blue and Grey flanked me, both of them tense and silent, like shadows cast by the first light of dawn. They could feel it too, the thickening atmosphere, the sense that something had shifted overnight. Neither of them spoke, but their eyes met mine as we entered the chamber. It was enough to steady me.