MINGAN'S POV
I heard the footsteps before Marcus even reached my door. Heavy, defeated steps that told me everything I needed to know about how his conversation with Koda had gone. The boy had made the smart choice after all.
When the knock came, I was already pouring myself a glass of wine. "Enter."
Marcus stepped into my chambers looking like a man walking to his execution. His face was pale, his hands shaking slightly at his sides. The confident young lord who had attended court functions for years was nowhere to be seen. This was just a scared boy who finally understood the game being played around him.
"Elder Prince," he said, offering a shallow bow.
"Sit," I gestured to the chair across from my desk. "You look like you might collapse."
He sank into the chair gratefully, his legs apparently no longer willing to support him. I studied his face while I took a sip of wine. Fear looked good on him. It made him honest.
