Grace's sudden appearance changed the mood of the holding room, replacing it with a tense, unsettling silence.

When Warren saw her, the arrogance he had drawn from his family's influence vanished without a trace. In its place came a chill that spread quickly through him, followed by a deep, growing unease.

He knew all too well how much the princess mattered to the King and how vast her influence had become, both inside and outside the government. Someone of her standing would never appear at a