The council chamber doors closed behind us with a soft, echoing thud. Silence pressed in from all sides, broken only by the distant murmur of the night wind outside. My hands still shook, but this time it wasn’t fear—it was anticipation. Every step toward the long, polished table at the center of the room felt like stepping into history. The council waited, their eyes sharp and unblinking, ready to dissect every word, every expression, every motion.
I glanced at the girls behind me. Their faces were pale, but determined. They had come here willingly, and that alone made them powerful. Their presence reminded me that I wasn’t alone—not anymore. Not in the fight I’d been avoiding for years, not in the battle to reclaim my story, my voice, my life.
Asher’s hand found mine again. His grip wa
