Mage Lian remained still, breathing steadily as the weight of everything washed over him.
And then, inevitably, his thoughts drifted back to Michael.
The boy, aside from helping him, also had no idea of what he'd done.
Winning the Duke's competition had been more than what it was on the surface. It had been a critical moment in the political chessboard of the continent…
Mage Lian's gaze dimmed, his fingers drumming slowly against his thigh.
A single misstep. That was all it would've taken.
Had Michael lost... had Prince Rui won... the Empire would have used it as a foothold.
By marrying the Duke's daughter, the Prince wouldn't just have claimed a noble title; he would have gained a binding tie to the Lionheart Kingdom's noble line. With that, and the Empire's subtle pressure, they could have lobbied for subtle integration. Their claim would have been "legitimate."
After all, it was a recognized competition. An open invitation. A fair event—on paper.
