Chapter 42 Chap Forty-one

• The palace guards became noticeably more vigilant in the days that followed. I couldn’t ignore Damon’s frequent trips from the palace, tirelessly tracking Jules’ scent trail in the Agama Forest.
• Each time I saw him return, utterly drained, my heart ached. His relentless efforts left little time for us to be together. He would come to bed late, often after I was already asleep. Despite his assurances that he was fine, I knew he wasn’t. Not truly. The weight of knowing there might be a traitor among us, combined with Jules’ ability to elude capture, was taking its toll on him.
• I wanted to help Damon, but I felt powerless. The sense of helplessness gnawed at me as I stared at the book I was reading in the quiet library. As usual, I was alone—Britney hadn’t visited the palace in a while, and I’d sent Anna to fetch snacks from the kitchen. Though solitude usually felt safe with guards stationed outside, today my thoughts were heavy with concern.