~A Seat at the Table~

ARDEN

I walked into the council chamber with Daphne beside me. She stayed close but didn’t cling. Her steps were steady, her eyes alert. I watched the way she scanned the room as we entered.

She didn’t show it openly, but she noticed every detail—the positions of the elders, the warriors at the doors, even which council members avoided her gaze.

It was her first council meeting, and I had planned to ease her into it. I wanted her to understand how we handled ...