Everyone stared at me. The weight of hundreds of confused eyes pressed heavily across the courtyard while silence spread so thickly that even the wind through the silver trees seemed quieter. I could feel Elias still holding my hand tightly beside me, but now there was tension in his grip. Confusion. Questions. Shock. His gaze remained fixed on my face while the words echoed endlessly through the crowd.
Your Majesty.
Slowly, reality crashed back into me all at once as I looked toward Aeliora, then down toward my hand still tangled with Elias's. Before I could speak, Elias instinctively stepped closer to me as though drawn by something invisible, his body shifting protectively nearer without hesitation. The movement was small, almost natural, yet the effect it had on the fae guards was immediate. Weapons lifted higher while several soldiers moved forward instantly, blades pointing directly toward Elias with open hostility burning across their faces.
"Stay back from Her Majesty."
