The grand chamber fell into an eerie stillness as Lord Fashire's stoic demeanour shattered like glass and he went rigid in his seat. I had seen him in shock a few times, but never before had I witnessed such an intense reaction from him. He had the look of a man that had made a grave mistake.
My pulse quickened. Why was he next in line…? Just how powerful was he? Surely, such a sinister person couldn't be their ruler…
His eyes shifted from their red hue to a stark silver, emitting a frosty glow as his features twisted into a sneer of disgust. "What is that supposed to mean?" he growled, his voice a dangerously low rumble. "Do not jest like that ever—"
It was Lady Dana's turn to glare back in irritation, her face tightening as she adopted a challenging tone, "Do I look like one to jest?"
