Garren bent slightly and lowered his voice enough that only Darion could hear him.
"We counted the treasury."
Darion frowned faintly.
"And?"
Garren's expression did not change.
"The amount we recovered…" he said slowly, "…is considerably larger than expected."
For the first time since the conversation with Aldric had begun, Darion's attention shifted completely.
Larger than expected?
That was saying something.
They had already assumed Aldric kept significant reserves close to his personal quarters. Kings did not usually sleep beside empty chests. But Garren's tone suggested something beyond "significant."
Darion looked at him carefully.
"How much larger?"
Before Garren could answer, Darion noticed movement across the table.
It was Aldric.
The former king was staring at both of them now with obvious suspicion, his exhausted eyes narrowing slightly as he tried to read their expressions.
The man looked tense already, but now there was something sharper behind it.
