Phoebe's POV
I could feel the raw power that rolled off Perry in waves—the kind that made grown men's knees buckle. Even the palace staff, who'd served under his rule for years, still couldn't shake their unease around him. His presence alone seemed to charge the air with an electric tension that left everyone on edge.
But what I witnessed went far beyond simple nervousness. The terror etched into their faces spoke of something darker—a bone-deep fear that whispered of life and death hanging in the balance whenever they faced their king. I caught the way they recoiled when he moved, how their eyes darted away as if meeting his gaze might be their last mistake.
"Don't let their panic mess with your head," Timothy whispered, sliding closer to me. "I've tried breaking the ice with them, but every attempt sends them into near flight mode. It's heartbreaking, really. But I've learned that pushing only makes their terror worse. Better to give them space."
