Rue’s POV

Every word carried the weight of someone’s loss.

“Murderers!”

“Your soldiers killed my brother!”

“You wear the same labels!”

The guards were struggling to hold the crowd back. Several of them had already drawn their weapons, though none dared to raise them fully.

I stepped forward slowly.

The gravel beneath my boots crunched loudly in the sudden tension.

“Lower your weapons,” I said. My voice wasn’t loud but it carried.

The guards immediately obeyed.

Still, the ...