The throne room was quieter than the battlefield, but it was no less dangerous. The air was thick with tension, the kind that made your skin prickle and your stomach twist. The lords sat around the long council table, their faces hard, their words sharper than any blade.
"You expect us to follow her?" Lord Gerrik’s voice cut through the silence like a whip. He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. "A girl who wields magic like it’s a toy? You’re asking us to gamble the kingdom on her."
I clenched my fists at my sides, my nails digging into my palms. "I’m not asking you to gamble. I’m asking you to trust me."
"Trust you?" Lord Edric, his hair streaked with gray, let out a bitter laugh. "Lady Aria, you’ve brought us victory, yes. But at what cost? Magic is unp
