—
Back in the grand hall, the air buzzed with excitement. Nobles raised their goblets, warriors exchanged knowing grins, and whispers of a new heir spread like wildfire.
Elisa stood in the eye of the storm, her heart still racing. She hadn’t planned to reveal it this way. But Izzy had backed her into a wall, and she’d had two choices: let herself be humiliated or fight back.
And now, there was no turning back.
Kieran stood beside her, his posture relaxed, but his eyes sharp. He hadn’t touched her—not yet. But she could feel the weight of his attention, the unspoken we will talk later lingering between them.
Hector, Kieran’s father, had yet to speak. He sat at the head of the hall, silent, unreadable. The man was a force in his own right—respected, feared. Elisa knew he’d spent years g
