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The silence that followed my revelation felt like the air had been sucked out of the room. Dimitri stood frozen, eyes wide, chest heaving as though he’d been struck by lightning. For a moment, no one dared to move not Elista, not the council members who had quietly witnessed everything. The only sound was the steady, relentless thrum of my heartbeat echoing in my ears.
“My… what?” Dimitri finally breathed, his voice low, rough with disbelief.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “You heard me. They’re yours. Our children.”
He staggered a step back, as if trying to steady himself against the magnitude of what I’d said. “No, that’s not” He stopped, words catching in his throat. “Lyra, how? When?” His voice trembled between hope and heartbreak.
Elista’s hand flew to her
