Inara turned, lifting her hand to point across the hall.
"It's Asher."
'Wait, wait! What the fuck!?'
Akamir panicked as he almost threw away the wine in his mouth.
The hall fell into stunned silence.
A hundred eyes turned to where Inara's finger pointed.
Akamir stood frozen near the edge of the crowd, making him eerily uncomfortable.
He blinked once, twice—then slowly lowered the cup.
Nayomi floated beside him, her voice a low hum. "Well, well… she actually did it."
King Aldric stood slowly, his voice frigid. "Asher?"
Torin's brow furrowed, confusion giving way to growing rage.
Inara looked at the man who stood beside her as she forced herself to keep standing tall.
"Yes," she said firmly. "I love Asher. I can't marry someone I don't even know, just to satisfy an alliance neither of us believes in."
The nobles' whispers swelled like a rising tide filling the hall.
King Aldric's expression darkened, his jaw clenching tight.
