Atlas had not slept well in four days.He was used to bad sleep. The crown came with its share of midnight anxieties, trade reports that wouldn’t resolve, council arguments that replayed themselves in his head, the pressure of being the person everyone in a kingdom was quietly waiting on. But this was different. It was not the crown keeping him awake. The day had just begun but he was already pacing his chamber like a man haunted.Because he was really being hunted. That dream stayed in his memory all night. The boy in the forest.The arms that held him.The voice that told him, “I’ve got you.Atlas dragged his hand through his hair.“Why does it feel like Jacob?” he muttered.The door opened. Philip walked in, already dressed.He took one look at Atlas and sighed.“You look worse than yesterday.”Atlas turned sharply.“Good morning to you too,” Atlas said, without looking up.“Did you sleep at all?”“Yes, I did.”Philip pulled the chair from the corner and sat down uninvited, he w
Last Updated : 2026-04-27 Read more