Chapter 82

• With the previous petitioner dismissed, the next in line steps forward, launching straight into a complaint about a long-standing land dispute with his neighbor. His tone is irritable, almost accusatory, but Lucas listens with the same steady patience he’s given to every other Beast who’s spoken today.
• The matter is resolved with a few direct questions and a firm ruling, and then the cycle begins anew—another complaint, another dispute, another minor grievance brought before the King. It all starts to blur together. The rhythm becomes predictable. My interest wanes quickly, my mind drifting as I sit quietly on Lucas’s lap, trying to focus just enough to catch any mention of humans.
• I glance sideways at Lucas, secretly impressed by his composure. Not once does he falter. Not once does his attention stray. He listens, engages, asks for clarification, and responds with authority and consideration. It’s no wonder he’s King. In this setting—among his own—his leadership is effortless.