The hall stills instantly. Dozens of heads swivel in his direction. The air hums with shock because Amias never—never… inserts himself into anyone else's affairs. He's the cold one. The detached one. The one who watches from the shadows, calculates, and speaks only when it suits him.
Yet here he is, standing, voice ringing across the stage like a blade drawn.
"If her strength hasn't been gauged," he continues, pulse hammering, "then sending her into the labyrinth is reckless. She should be excluded until it is understood. You can't gamble with her life because you're curious about an anomaly."
The silence that follows is deafening.
Daphne's mouth drops open, her painted lips forming a perfect 'O' of outrage. Morgan and Grayson exchange a look of pure astonishment, their brows lifting as though they've just witnessed the sun rise in the west. Even Darien turns his head slowly, eyes narrowing with surprise.
