'Ah, so that's what they meant.'
The Great Hall was silent. All the nobles had stopped to assess the newcomer. Had he been one of them; another noble, there would have been no issue at all. But Luca wasn't a noble. He didn't even look as wealthy as some of the commoners who were privileged enough to be here.
He could feel the weight behind every stare that fell on him.
Confusion. Disgust. Disdain. Indifference. A touch of anger, even.
"Who is that?"
"Who the hell does he think he is?"
"A commoner? How dare he barge in?!"
Murmurs rippled through the room, the collective recovery from the shock of an "uninvited" guest.
It was enough to fluster anyone normal. But Terry and Jack had misunderstood something about Luca. He was never normal, even before he learned how to wield magic.
He returned every gaze with a calm, indifferent expression and walked forward with steady steps that echoed loud in the silence.
This was exactly what he'd been waiting for.
