My aunt, Junia, stands and begins her toast.
"Everyone, let's have a wonderful banquet. I hope everyone remembers to be courteous—especially when it comes to their eating manners."Her eyes linger on me—just long enough to make sure everyone knows exactly who she's talking about."Even if they've only recently joined the family."
She finishes with a graceful bow to my father and my brother—the Crown Prince.
I rise, calm and deliberate.
"May I make a toast, Father?"
He smirks like he already knows exactly what I'm about to do."Of course, my daughter."
I lift my glass.
"I'd just like to add that, with so many esteemed guests from different Empires in attendance, we should be especially mindful not to offend anyone. I'm not pointing fingers, of course," I smile sweetly and turn my head towards my aunt. "But I've heard that some nobles have become... bolder in their manner of speaking. As my dear aunt said—let's all have a good banquet today."
My words are polite. But everyone knows exactly who I'm talking about.And no one dares to say a thing.Because I'm right.
My aunt's little entourage of venom-tongued snakes—they really think that just because they have a friend in the Imperial Family, they can say and do whatever they please.
Junia never quite figured out how to make real friends. So instead, she perfected cruelty.Cutting people down with words so sharp, they felt the pain before they even realized they'd been insulted.Naturally, the other two-faced nobles gathered around her like moths to a fire.
Looking at her now—shocked, blinking like she's been slapped—I feel stupid for not speaking back sooner.Even one word is enough to make her start crumbling.
And no one's going to help her.
Everyone's been burned by her before. So why would they?
I know they're all feeling a twisted sort of glee right now.They're just hiding it well.
Everyone in my family is good at hiding things.
I'll pull off each mask—one by one.
I'll reveal to the world all their secrets they tried to so desperately bury.