Aiden strode into the imperial court with Elizabeth at his side. She moved with a new confidence, her cheeks still faintly flushed from their morning session. Her devotion meter sat at seventy-five percent, a solid foundation that made her hand on his arm feel like an anchor of loyalty rather than obligation.
The hall buzzed with nobles and priests in their finery, but all eyes turned when the pair entered. Whispers followed them like a wake.
He kept his expression calm, almost bored, while his incubus senses picked up every heartbeat and flicker of doubt. The new ability from Lilith, Mother's Whisper, hummed at the back of his mind—low-level dream and mind influence ready to plant seeds. Perfect for this crowd.
The session dragged through minor disputes until High Priest Voren stepped forward. The old man's face twisted in open skepticism.
