He wore a calm expression as he approached the podium, his gaze brushing through the crowd only briefly before it settled upon Emilia.
Damon's heart sank.
She looked terrible.
Dark circles sat beneath her eyes despite every effort she had clearly made to hide them. Her face seemed thinner than before, the healthy color gone from her skin and replaced with a pale exhaustion that makeup and noble etiquette could not conceal. There was desperation in her eyes, and something else.
Paranoia.
Her gaze never lingered on one person for long.
It moved constantly.
Searching.
Examining.
Questioning.
Every noble.
Every knight.
Every servant.
Every guest.
Everyone was suspicious.
As though she expected the culprit to reveal themselves if she stared hard enough.
As though she could somehow find her son simply by refusing to stop looking.
Damon couldn't help but think.
What is she suspicious of...
Then he stopped himself.
No.
