The King's question hung in the air, heavy and sharp as a blade, but Verona didn't flinch. In her first life, she would have stuttered, her eyes darting to the floor, seeking an escape. Now, she simply met the King's gaze, her expression as smooth and unyielding as the surface of a frozen lake.
"Safety and danger are often matters of perspective, Your Majesty," Verona replied, her voice calm and melodic. "In the South, a woman with a spark is a danger to be managed. In the North, she is an asset to be honed. I am only as dangerous as the circumstances require me to be."
The King leaned back, a faint, dry chuckle escaping his throat. "A diplomat's tongue. It seems the Duke of Aldenar has taught you well. Or perhaps," his eyes narrowed, "you were always this sharp, and we were all simply too blind to notice."
