Chapter 4 — The Rules of Power

Connor

The morning light streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Connor’s study, painting fractured patterns onto the polished mahogany desk. His fingers traced the edge of his gold signet ring, the weight of it a familiar anchor against the undercurrent of disorder threatening to stir. The room, meticulously arranged to project power and precision, felt unusually heavy today—an intangible crack running beneath the surface.