Emily stiffened when she heard Catrin's voice. She had been waiting all this while for Catrin to arrive and officially announce her new life as the heiress —just not at this moment.
It would have been better if she had arrived after Arwen had left.
Not because she believed Arwen's claim that everything was just a facade, but because she didn't want such doubts to even be an option.
She had waited too long to claim the heiress title, and she didn't want it interrupted any further. Not because of Arwen … not because of anything.
"What's happening here?" Catrin asked, stepping into the banquet hall, her eyes sweeping the room before settling on Arwen.
Arwen met her eyes —not defiantly, but evenly —as she would with anyone else, her poise radiating quiet authority.
