Elara's POV
Damien's hand closed gently around my wrist, pressing down as if telling me to stay.
So I stayed.
What else could I do? The lights had found our row, three hundred people were staring, and somehow, my face remained perfectly composed.
Damien leaned close to my ear.
"I put in fifteen million. Victoria added three. I had no idea she was going to do that."
"I figured," I whispered.
Chancellor Orlando was still reading out the donations.
Second on the list was Orion Whitemoon, with fifteen million. Three other names followed. Then Celeste Hartwell, with five million.
Damien had also donated five million in his own name.
"He didn't pay for hers," Damien murmured, barely bothering to hide his satisfaction. "Or he gave her exactly half of what he put up for himself. Make of
