Aria’s POV
I walked down the grand staircase with my hand still tucked under Cassian's elbow. It felt like a haunting repetition of the night at the gala. The last time I had walked this path, I was a girl with a stolen mark and a misguided cousin. Today, I was a woman with a restored mark and a target on my back.
At the bottom of the stairs, the air felt frozen. Noah stood by a corner, his expression a wall of unreadable Alpha stone. Beside him, Elena stood with her chin high, her eyes flashing with a disapproval she didn't bother to hide.
The drawing room had been scrubbed of blood, but the scent of ozone and silver still clung to the curtains. The Grand Luna sat in her usual chair; the High Council member, the one who had been at the bar during the m******e, sat by her right. He
