Chapter 24
Elara’s POV
The banquet hall glittered like a jewel box.
Crystal chandeliers dripped golden light onto polished marble floors, long tables spread with food that looked more like artwork than sustenance. The nobles of Aurelion lounged in their seats like predators dressed in silk, their laughter sharp, their gazes sharper.
I felt every one of them watching me.
Lucien had insisted I attend—for appearances, he had said. His “ward” needed to be seen, to play her part in the theater of court politics. I had argued, of course. But my protests had wilted under the weight of his stare.
Now, dressed in a gown I hadn’t chosen, with jewels I didn’t own glittering against my skin, I felt more like a prize mare paraded at auction than a guest.
The nobles whispered as I passed.
“She d
