The moment those words left Liam's mouth, the atmosphere in the courtroom shifted—first into stunned silence, then into a slow, simmering disbelief that rippled outward from the nobles seated closest to the throne. King Valemir's expression tightened almost instantly, confusion flickering only briefly before irritation swallowed it. His brows drew together, and his cold blue eyes narrowed as though he were staring at something offensive rather than a boy standing before him. That irritation seemed to deepen the longer he looked at Liam, as if every second of the boy's unwavering calm added fuel to a fire already struggling to stay contained inside the king's chest.
After a drawn-out, heavy moment, Valemir finally spoke, his tone carrying a sharpness meant to cut.
