The implication of Alexander’s words made my stomach clench with fear. “You think Julian was trying to do more than just d**g me?”
“I think Julian gave you something designed to make you compliant and suggestible, then tried to isolate you from the crowd. If Marcus hadn’t intervened...” Alexander’s jaw tightened. “I don’t want to think about what might have happened.”
“But Julian’s my friend. He’s protected me, helped me navigate academy politics—”
“Julian is a manipulative sociopath who uses charm and royal privilege to get what he wants from people.” Alexander’s voice was cold with conviction. “Everything he’s done for you has been calculated to put you in his debt, to make you trust him enough to let your guard down.”
The assessment was harsh but impossible to dismiss given what had
