I took a deep breath as I entered the grand courtroom. The high ceilings and imposing wooden panels seemed designed to intimidate, but I refused to be cowed. Alaric's hand rested protectively at the small of my back, his touch grounding me as we made our way to our designated seats.
"Are you alright?" he murmured close to my ear, his breath warm against my skin.
I nodded slightly, conscious of the many eyes tracking our movement across the room. "I'm fine. Just ready for this to be over."
The courtroom was already filling with spectators—nobility and commoners alike, drawn by the scandal surrounding the Beaumont name. I caught snippets of whispered conversations as we passed.
"—the masked Duchess—"
"—killed her father in cold blood—"
"—heard the Baron was embezzling—"
