It felt like time had stopped the moment I saw her again.
For a brief second, everything around me disappeared, the voices, the movement, the countless eyes watching from the hall.
All I could see was her.
Elara.
The woman who had once stood beside me.
The woman who had once been my mate.
The woman who had destroyed everything between us.
My anger rose instantly, burning through my veins, but I refused to let it show. A king could not afford to lose control in front of his enemies.
I kept my face neutral, my expression unreadable as my eyes moved away from her and landed on Vealor, who seemed to be enjoying himself.
Almost like this was exactly the reaction he wanted.
Lucien moved instantly.
The moment he saw her, his body tensed, and the anger in his eyes became impossible to hide. His hand moved slightly, his instincts ready to act, but I raised my hand, silently signaling him to calm himself.
Unlike me, Lucien had never been good at hiding his emotions.
