The tension in the grand hall was palpable, the normally stately chamber thick with an air of suspicion and barely restrained hostility. All eyes were fixed on me, my newfound status as queen doing little to shield me from the scrutiny and outright disdain of my fellow vampires.
Torren's words still hung in the air, his accusation of collusion with Gabriel cutting me like a knife. The mere suggestion that I would betray the kingdom, that I would jeopardize the life of my own mother for some nefarious plot, filled me with a white-hot fury.
But I forced myself to remain calm, to project an aura of regal composure even as my heart thundered in my chest. I would not give them the satisfaction of seeing me falter, of doubting my unwavering loyalty to Luther and the realm we had fought so hard
