The King’s fingers lingered for a fraction of a second too long, the leather of his glove grazing Nikos’s skin with a friction that felt like a brand. Then, as abruptly as he’d asserted his claim, Andreas let go. He didn’t step back; he simply stood there, a towering silhouette of absolute authority, watching as Nikos’s head slumped forward, his neck too weak to maintain the defiant angle any longer."Get him out of my sight," Andreas commanded, his voice devoid of the earlier whisper's heat. It was back to that glacier-cold tone, the kind that sent people to the gallows without a second thought. "The West Wing. Ensure he’s... appropriately handled."Two guards, their armor clanking like a death knell in the cavernous hall, didn't wait for Nikos to stand. They grabbed him by the upper arms, dragging him upward. Nikos’s knees barked against the marble, a sharp, white-hot flash of pain shooting up his thighs, but he didn't make a sound. He couldn't afford to. Not when the King’s eyes we
Last Updated : 2026-07-16 Read more