But as Elara's eyes scanned the elegant, sweeping script of the main brief, her eyes narrowed slightly.
The delegations weren't coming for Samuel. They were coming for her.
Inside the portfolio were five distinct, highly detailed marriage proposals. Each one was backed by a powerful foreign kingdom, and each one came with a strong, unified endorsement from the domestic imperial nobility.
Elara leaned back in her chair, the leather creaking softly in the quiet office. *What nonsense is this?* she thought, though the thought was entirely clinical, devoid of actual heat.
