Selene's pov

They muttered. I anticipated that. I could live with that. Like insects under a glass, whispers are simple to control and set. The way their faces transformed as I passed was something I did not anticipate.

A few turned to face me with a fresh sense of caution, as though they had realized that their leader's iron lining was finite. Others recognized a flame in Matilda that they had not previously thought of.

I realized it was time to turn the argument from rumor to truth ...