Chapter 165

Viona's POV

The air inside the council chamber was still humming with Mirage's presence. His smirk, his deliberate provocations with Lilah on his arm, the sharp undercurrent between us-it had left the room heavy with tension, like a string drawn taut.

No one dared breathe too deeply.

And then the doors slammed open again.

A scout stumbled in, his chest heaving, his eyes wild with urgency. The guards nearly drew blades on him, but he dropped to one knee before me, his voice ...