A stunned silence settled over the room, each face frozen in a mixture of shock and apprehension as they tried to absorb the implications of his words. Queen Morgana gasped softly, her hands trembling as they tightened around Cedric's arm.
"No… no, that can't be," she whispered, her voice barely more than a breath. Her eyes searched those of her husband, her expression betraying a desperate hope that someone would counter Theron's revelation, dismiss it as a terrible misunderstanding.
But the king, too, looked troubled, his jaw clenched in thought, Cedric's expression turned dark, a ripple of concern mixing with anger. They twins exchanged uneasy glance, their minds churned with questions and fears they hadn't dared to voice.
"What do you mean?" Cedric and King Xavian both demanded at once, their voices sharp and probing. The room tensed further, eyes shifting between Theron and the queen, waiting for an answer.
