Caroline did not react right away.
Her expression stayed calm, almost neutral, but something behind her eyes stopped moving. The playful curiosity she carried earlier faded out completely, like someone had shut off a light behind glass.
She studied Zylus in silence, not blinking, not shifting, like she was waiting for something to contradict her own conclusion.
"He's a fake."
The words didn't echo. They didn't shake the space or demand attention.
They didn't need to.
Every Sovereign heard them clearly.
Zylus blinked once.
That was it. No sharp inhale. No sudden tension in his shoulders. He didn't even look surprised. He let out a slow breath and tilted his head slightly, like he was hearing a strange rumor about someone else.
"A fake," he repeated. "That's a new one."
The silence that followed wasn't empty.
