It was already well into the afternoon, yet there was no sign of the Empress visting the Frostblade household.... Outside, a restless crowd had gathered, their voices rising in a cacophony of demands for Aether's release.
"Let the child go!"
"Honor the Hero's words!"
"You ugly thief! Give back the rightful King!"
Their words echoed relentlessly beyond the gates as the swelling crowd pressed closer, their determination palpable.
Velc clenched his jaw, his irritation growing with each passing second. The situation was rapidly slipping out of his control..... If the mob grew more agitated, they might start a full-blown protest—or worse, they could destroy the trust Mortimer had painstakingly built over the years.
Velc could feel the fragile loyalty of the people teetering on the edge, ready to crumble.
