ALEXANDER
I was halfway down the corridor, my mind already shifting to the peace of my chambers, when I heard quick footsteps behind me.
“Alexander!”
I didn’t have to turn to know who it was. My sister’s voice was unmistakable—light, sharp, and carrying the kind of energy that rarely meant anything good for my quiet evenings.
I stopped and waited, turning just enough to see Irene closing the distance. She always walked like she was on a mission, even if that mission was simply to irritate me.
She fell into step beside me. “So… how’d the big meeting go?”
I kept my pace steady, hands clasped behind my back. “It was not bad.”
Her brows arched. “Not bad? That’s a vague answer for you.”
“It’s accurate,” I said. “The members were… not exactly welcoming to Faye, but they weren’t complete
