Maya settled into a chair, crossing her legs and taking a slow sip of tea before speaking again. "Libbie Castro's rise to power was fast—too fast for some people's liking. He's ruthless, but he lacks the finesse and respect that a true king should have."
Aseira leaned back, resting her cup on her knee. "Sounds like he's made a lot of enemies."
Maya nodded. "More than he probably realizes. Many of the nobles tolerate him for now, but there's discontent simmering beneath the surface. The common people are the same. They don't speak out, but you can sense it—whispers in the streets, nervous glances at the guards. He rules through fear."
Jian Gang frowned, crossing his arms as he absorbed the information. "Fear only works for so long. Eventually, people push back."
"Exactly," Maya agreed. "But no one wants to be the first. Everyone's waiting for someone else to make the first move."
