KAIA’S POV
I pushed the door open and stepped inside before I could talk myself out of it.
The sound of voices cut off instantly. Every head in the room turned toward me, and the weight of their stares almost made me to hesitate for a second.
Gareth was the first to move. He straightened in his chair, his eyes narrowing into a glare sharp enough to cut glass. “What are you doing here?” he demanded, his voice cold and filled with accusation. “This is not your place, Kaia. You have no business here.”
Before I could answer, Athena’s voice rang out. “That is where you’re wrong. She has every right to be here.”
My gaze snapped to her, startled, but she wasn’t looking at me—her eyes were fixed on Gareth.
To my shock, Elder Gaius spoke next, his deep voice cutting through the tension. “Prin
