Outside the hall, Derek was drenched in cold sweat, his legs trembling. Even when Carissa emerged, he felt his heart still hanging in the air, uncertain and uneasy. Salvador had not exploded in anger as Derek had expected—that, in itself, was a shock.Wiping the sweat from his brow, Derek bowed respectfully as Carissa passed.Carissa spoke quietly, just loud enough for the two of them to hear. "Don't worry, Mr. Walker."Derek felt a pang in his chest. "Take care, Commander Sinclair."Once she was gone, Derek returned to the hall to attend to the king. He couldn't resist stealing a glance at Salvador. To his astonishment, Salvador's face seemed to hold a note of happiness—something Derek had never anticipated. Earlier, when he had sent Connor off to Serenity Palace, Salvador had spoken of the Hell Monarch's journey to the Southern Frontier as if it were all part of a grand scheme. So why was he suddenly in a good mood now?Truly, the mind of a king was difficult to read.Salva
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