Kulu's face went through a rapid, sickening transformation—from protective fury to a haunting, fragile uncertainty. He looked at Hana as if she were a demon sent to dismantle his entire reality, then slowly turned his head toward Lira.
The silence on the ridge was suffocating. Even the wind seemed to stop whistling through the red rocks.
"Lira…" Kulu's voice was barely a whisper, stripped of all the princely arrogance he'd displayed moments ago. "Tell this human… tell her she lies. Tell her that my devotion means everything to you."
Lira froze. This wasn't part of her script. She was used to Kulu doing the fighting, the fetching, and the pining from a safe distance while she kept her pedestal high. Being put on the spot—especially in front of the massive, dark, and dangerous Dragon King—made her saintly mask twitch.
Lira looked at Kulu, then her gaze involuntarily slid back to Caspian.
