Hades had no idea why the King himself wanted to meet him—much less in secret.
The summit was tomorrow. At a time when the King should be drowning in duties, he was instead sitting calmly across from them, waiting for the maid to finish pouring tea.
"Thank you, Gloria. You may leave," the King said softly. The maid bowed and slipped out of the room.
Another man remained—a tall figure with sharp eyes. This was the Prime Minister, Philips Oakwood, one of the King's most trusted men.
"You must be wondering why you're here," Philips began, his tone measured. "But after what happened a few days ago, we have no choice but to handle this with care."
Hades leaned forward, his voice unsure. "Are there spies among the soldiers?"
Philips shook his head. "Not as far as we know. But this is not about betrayal—it is about loyalty. If they had attacked you, it would have been seen as an act of devotion to their homeland."
