LAYLA'S POV
I have been sensing it for days.
At first, I think it is just me being paranoid, like always. Maybe I read too much into the way Kaiden keeps looking at me intensely, like every move I make needs to be measured and dissected.
But then Killian is watching me too. He is silent, more silent than I have ever seen him. He has never been much of a talker, but lately… his quiet isn't just quiet. It is heavy. It feels like he holds suspicions about me that he isn't ready to talk about.
And Kieran, sweet, gentle Kieran—he has always been the one who offers me a smile when I feel unwanted. The one who speaks to me and is nice to me, to make me feel like I am not completely alone in this palace. But even he has changed.
When I try to talk to him in the corridor one morning, he seems colder than usual.
"Kieran?" My voice is soft. "Did I… did I do something wrong? You've been so distant."
