The official who had tried to speak found his voice had completely deserted him.
He stood there, mouth slightly open, eyes trembling, his face slowly draining of all color.
Moments ago, he and his colleagues had looked at this boy and seen an easy target. Someone who had wandered in where he didn't belong, stuffing his face while the rest of them suffered through their nerves.
They would vent their frustration on him, kick him out, feel better about themselves.
Now they understood the depth of their mistake.
Not only was this boy supported by Nadia—he was close to her.
Close enough that she wiped food from his face like a mother tending to her child.
These men had nearly made an enemy of someone Lady Nadia clearly treasured.
And now she was staring at them with those cold, empty eyes, and they felt like prey caught in the gaze of something far larger and far more dangerous than themselves.
