Caldrin offered a small, deliberate shrug. "I like to understand the places I negotiate with. And their people.
His glance returned to Liora for a brief moment, and Lucien noticed.
Liora stepped back quietly, unsure if she should stay.
Lucien's voice was calm but cool. "She has nothing to do with politics. Nor with your interests."
Caldrin raised a brow. "We'll see."
After he left, Rowan slipped in, looking between Lucien and the now-quiet hallway.
"He's not from Petra," Rowan murmured under his breath. "He's from Esrayne."
Lucien turned his head slightly. "That's worse."
"Much."
Esrayne, wealthy, subtle, and known for playing both sides in politics. Their sudden envoy to the capital and now to Lucien's estate was no coincidence. And Caldrin wasn't just a face; he was a shadow sent walking.
Lucien looked to the corridor where Liora had disappeared. He didn't like the way Caldrin had looked at her. And yet, he couldn't place why it bothered him so much.
