Hazel’s POV
The room became so quiet I could hear my own heartbeat. Each thud echoed in my ears like a war drum, steady and unrelenting, counting down to something none of them were prepared for.
Every council member froze. Shoulders stiffened. Spine straightened. Breath held.
Eyes darted between each other—wide, stunned, uncertain. Some mouths parted as if to speak, then clamped shut again.
Some looked offended. Others looked afraid. A few looked impressed.
Even Dimitri—standing solid at my right—blinked once. His composure never cracked, but I caught the tiny flicker in his jaw. Shock. Pure, unguarded shock.
The silver-haired elder cleared his throat. The sound was loud in the silence.
“Apologies, my Queen,” he said carefully, voice low. “What did you just say?”
I turned my head
