The air in the room was charged with tension, thick with the mingled scents of anger, fear, and power. I moved between Elijah and Theo, my brother making space for me at the table while Theo's hand found mine, our fingers intertwining. The two guards positioned themselves against the wall behind me, their presence a silent support.
Benjamin stared at me, his gaze a mixture of hunger and hate that made my skin crawl. "Emma," he said, my name an unwelcome intimacy on his lips.
"Your Majesty," I corrected, my voice firmer than I had expected. "You will address me as Your Majesty or Queen Emma."
A muscle twitched in his jaw. "You're not—"
"I am Queen," I cut him off, squeezing Theo's hand for reassurance but holding Benjamin's gaze. "That's all there is to it. You couldn't mark me because
