Alora’s POV

My grandfather’s eyes turned to the elders, his eyes sweeping across them with anger. “I heard everything that you said about my granddaughter. So, this is how you speak of my blood,” he said, each word deliberate, cutting deeper than any shout. “Behind closed doors, questioning her worth as though she hasn’t already proven more loyalty than any of you.”

The room was dead still.

One of the bolder elders rose, his voice trembling despite his attempt at defiance. “With ...