Hannah’s Pov
The whispers didn’t stop.
If anything, they grew louder the deeper we moved into the ballroom. I tried to keep my face calm, just like Kael told me earlier, but inside my chest, my heart refused to slow down.
Everywhere I looked, people were staring.
Not just looking.
Staring.
Studying me like I was some strange creature they had never seen before.
I kept my chin slightly lifted, forcing my shoulders back even though they felt stiff with tension. Kael’s hand rested lightly against my back, guiding me forward. The warmth of his touch made it easier to breathe.
Easier to keep moving.
But not easier to ignore the whispers.
“She looks so… ordinary.”
The voice came from my left.
Soft.
But loud enough for me to hear.
I pretended not to notice, but my stomach twisted ti
