"Hmm, so this is what you all believe?" I muse, my gaze sweeping over the gathered nobility, taking in their expressions of barely concealed hostility and judgment.

"Yes, Your Majesty," they reply in unison, their voices ringing with a condemnation that sets my teeth on edge.

I can feel a smile tugging at my lips, a mirthless thing that doesn't reach my eyes. They must truly think me weak to believe I would let such blatant slander against my rule go unanswered. That I would not ...