Draven's pov
I was pouring over war dispatches and merchant complaints when Kira's voice pierced through the silence of my study like a thorn beneath the skin.
"You were never this soft with Hazel," she said quietly, but the judgment in her tone was sharp.
I didn't look up from the parchment. "Careful, Kira."
"You flinch every time she walks in," she continued anyway, folding her arms. "You let her get away with things no one else could. It's as if she's untouchable."
"She earned that," I muttered.
"She poisoned your maid."
"She uncovered someone else's treachery," I corrected, letting the edge return to my voice. "Don't twist what you don't understand."
Kira stepped forward, braver than most. "I understand too well. Hazel made you kind. This one,Eira? She's unraveling you."
I pushed back my chair and stood to full height. The flames from the fireplace caught the sharpness in my eyes.
"You forget yourself, Kira," I warned.
