The next morning, the palace felt heavier than usual. Sunlight streamed through the tall arched windows of the east wing, but it did little to warm the formal sitting room where Daniel’s parents had summoned him. King Reginald and Queen Eleanor sat like statues in their high backed chairs, the kind of furniture passed down through generations that always made visitors feel small. Servants had already brought tea and delicate pastries, but no one had touched them.

Daniel entered the room with his shoulders squared, still dressed in a crisp shirt from an early morning meeting. He’d barely slept the night before, and it showed in the faint shadows under...