Chapter 94

• For three days leading up to my duel with Fenris, I made it a point to avoid the Palace maids and servants. The last thing I needed was to stumble into another situation that could escalate into a confrontation. Trouble seemed magnetized to me lately, and I had no desire to fight anyone unnecessarily.
• The most ridiculous aspect of "avoiding trouble," however, was eating. It seemed the Palace servants had decided to starve me out, as my meals abruptly stopped arriving the moment I rudely rejected my foul breakfast. I could almost guarantee this was Selene’s handiwork. She grew bolder in Hadrian’s absence, flexing her influence wherever she could. Still, going hungry was preferable to risking a poisoned meal. Unfortunately, the kitchen was in the main building, which I had no access to, further complicating the situation.
• With the King away and the Queen openly despising me, no one could intervene—not even Gareth. But Gareth and Icarus found a solution. I began eating with the Royal Army. It was the safest option; no one dared tamper with the soldiers' meals.