They think I’m gentle. That’s the trick, really.

Speak softly. Tilt your head just right. Smile like you’ve got nothing to hide. People will show you their throats thinking you don’t carry knives.

I carry many. Most of them invisible.I wasn’t born into power — not exactly. My family had land, yes, but no weight. The D’Arros line was known for art, books, charm. Not blood. Not war. Not the crown. But I learned early that words can cut deeper than blades. So I mastered them.