Jayden's POV
I answered the incoming call with practiced composure. "Hello, Dad."
The King's deep voice carried across the connection, weighted with authority that never quite softened, even in private conversations. "Jayden."
A mixture of relief and anxiety twisted in my chest. The familiar sound of his father's voice brought both comfort and pressure. "How are you holding up, sir? And Mum? Ebony?"
"We're managing well enough. Your mother has been buried in preparations for the High Council meeting, and your sister continues to be exactly what you'd expect from Ebony," the King replied, and I could detect the hint of fond exasperation threading through his father's tone.
"That sounds perfectly normal," I said with a quiet laugh, some of the tension in my shoulders easing.
"Tell me about your progress there. How is the mission developing?"
