Verity's POV

My father walked back to his seat like nothing had happened. Like I wasn't standing there. Like my mother wasn't shaking with rage in the middle of the hall. He sat down and picked up his goblet and took a slow drink like this was just another boring breakfast.

I felt something crack inside my chest but I couldn't tell if it was my heart or just the last piece of hope I didn't know I'd been holding onto.

"Jared," my mother said and her voice was dangerously quiet. "Look at ...