Chaos erupted in the ballroom.
Medics rushed toward the Shade's crumpled body while nobles pushed forward to get a better look, only to stumble back when they realized he wasn't moving. Someone shouted for a doctor. Someone else called for the guards.
The Duke stood frozen in place, staring at his unconscious bodyguard with an expression that made it seem like his brain had simply stopped working.
And that was when Lyra struck.
"How dare you!" Her voice cut through the noise, dripping with outrage. She had stepped directly in front of a man in a Sterling uniform, an uncle by the look of him. The man blinked at her, clearly confused, which only made Lyra's performance more convincing.
"You brought that monster here knowing exactly what he would do! You promised me this would be a civilized evening, and instead you turned it into a blood sport!" She waved her hands as her voice grew louder. "Is this what the Sterling name has become? Hiring killers to murder children at parties?"
