-James- I was… speechless. So this was why Lara had wanted this meeting, why she had been so demanding. My eyes shifted from the king to the small but fierce female in front of him. She was pure fire. There was no hesitation, no fear in her eyes as she asked for a seat on the council. She didn’t even flinch or look away. She was meeting the king head-on, a rarity in itself. The only other female I’d ever seen do that was the queen. How could Lara and Selene be sisters? “Are you sure this is what you want?” the king inquired. Lara nodded firmly, without a trace of doubt. Did she truly understand what this meant? The other council members would try to tear her apart. The thought made something dark rise within me—anger, stronger than anything I’d felt in a long time. The idea of anyone

