>>Aelin
The heavy, ornate doors to the Demon Queen's throne room loomed before me like an impenetrable wall. My hands clenched into fists at my sides, knuckles white. I knew I didn't belong here, and yet, I couldn't stop myself. Ariston's arrest had left a fire of desperation burning in my chest, and I wouldn't let him suffer alone.
When the guards finally allowed me in, the atmosphere inside the throne room hit me like a wave. The air was thick with tension, and the Queen herself sat on her towering throne, radiating authority. Her crimson eyes locked onto me as I approached, and I could feel the weight of her gaze cutting into me.
I bowed my head slightly, my voice steady but pleading. "Your Majesty, I must speak on behalf of Ariston."
She stared at me for a moment with an unamused expression, then clicked her tongue as she uncrossed her leg and removed her elbow from the arm rest which ultimately made her remove her hand from her mouth too. "Speak"
