I take a deep breath. Through our bond, I feel Selene’s sudden surge of anxiety—she must sense my distress from wherever she is in the palace. The feeling makes my chest tighten with the need to go to her, to protect her from all this.
“The Council does have the authority to summon witnesses in matters of potential misconduct,” another Council member pipes up—an older woman I vaguely recognize as one of Draven’s supporters.
“Particularly when it involves someone with close ties to the Crown,” adds another.
They’re circling like sharks who have scented blood.
Kael’s jaw clenches almost imperceptibly. I know that look—he’s calculating, weighing options, trying to find a way out of this that doesn’t sacrifice everything we’ve been working toward.
But I also know there isn’t one.
“Your M
