As the high priest's words echoed in the room, insinuating that I belonged to the temple and was its property, a fire of anger blazed within me. I couldn't tolerate being reduced to a mere possession, especially by someone I had just met. My patience evaporated instantly.
"Yeah, I said you belong to the temple. You are the temple's pro—" The high priest's sentence hung in the air, left unfinished, as my reaction took him by surprise.
Before he could complete his thought, I found myself holding a sword as if it had materialized out of thin air, its sharp point dangerously close to his throat. My hand was steady, unwavering, a testament to the years of training I had undergone as a holy knight. It was a swift and precise movement, the sword poised threateningly.
"Duchess, what are you doing?" The high priest's voice quivered as he spoke, his eyes darting nervously between me and the blade that hovered inches from his throat.
