Chapter 181: Meaning Without Words
Lyria's POV
I swallowed before I spoke.
Every gaze in the hall still rested on me.
When I spoke, I made certain my voice came out steady. I took my time with each word, shaping them carefully so they would not stumble over one another.
"It is… quite simple to me," I said.
I paused briefly, spacing my thoughts.
"I do not know if the same could be said for others," I continued.
My words came out slow because I was making a visible attempt at not stammering. I knew how the court would look down on me if I let it show, and I could not afford that.
"When the theme was announced," I said, "I think most people would have thought of home in its literal sense."
My gaze lowered slightly as I spoke.
"A place one returns to," I continued. "A building. A hearth. A door that closes behind you. Somewhere you are safe to enter and leave without question."
I took a slow breath.
