Garrick had placed his sword in Evelyn’s hands rather than swear loyalty to Albert’s crown.
By breakfast, every noble family in Ravencrest knew.
Celeste made certain they understood what it meant.
Not devotion.
Not integrity.
Defiance.
She stood in the former queen’s receiving room while three Ravencrest ladies read the copied account. None of them had witnessed the confrontation, but the details had already acquired the authority of repetition.
Two Greyhaven guards remained outside under the travel order that allowed Celeste supervised diplomatic receptions but restored none of her household authority.
The soldiers had refused to kneel.
General Vesper had halted the rehearsal.
Albert had ordered the oath rewritten.
Now one of Evelyn’s senior commanders had threatened resignatio
