Chapter 77

The tension in the air crackled like electricity as I faced Morgan, his malevolence palpable and infectiously threatening. Still crouched over the king, Abbie was a mixture of shock and panic, her wide, terrified eyes flickering between Morgan and me as though we were two storms about to collide—a collision that was inevitable and potentially catastrophic.

“Why did you let her go?” I demanded, stepping forward, my heart pounding as adrenaline surged. Every instinct was screaming at me, warning me that this was just the beginning of the chaos Morgan had orchestrated. “What if she—”

“Don’t you get it, Ryder?” Morgan cut me off, his voice low and dripping with contempt, like venom seeping from fangs. “Eliza is a distraction. She’s nothing but a pawn in this game—one I can sacrifice if it means achieving my true goal. I’ve wasted enough time tiptoeing around her precious royal status. It’s time to show everyone who truly commands the power in this realm.”

I clenched my