Chapter 8: The King's Judgment

The silence that followed Caleb’s roar was heavier, more menacing than the previous chaos. All eyes were fixed on me, a sea of hostility and fear. I stood alone in the center of the hall, my ribs throbbing, the residual energy of my magical outburst tingling on my skin. The scent of spilled ale and roasted meat was now mixed with the sharp, acrid smell of terror—their terror of me. Caleb descended from the dais, his steps slow and deliberate, each one echoing in the tense quiet. He didn’t...