Arina sighed, pushing herself to her feet. She had barely stood up when she sensed Yulien’s eyes on her. She looked around the room, filled with lively conversations, dancing couples, and loud voices, before turning to face him just as he was getting up.
“Are you alright?” he asked, his eyes lingering on her stomach for a second. “Is it the baby? Is it time? What are—”
“I’m fine, calm down,” Arina laughed, wondering who that uneasy voice and those worried eyes belonged to. “I just need to stretch my legs. Those seats were definitely not built for pregnant women.” She eyed her throne, which, despite holding a thick, fluffy pillow, had made her lower back hurt like it was broken in twenty places. “There’s no need to accompany me, I’ll just walk around and see if I can find Raena. I haven’t
