The room stayed frozen long after Auren's words fell silent.
No one moved. Not even the air dared to.
Lucian stood up and turned, facing Auren head-on. That glare of his was cold, sharp, and merciless. It was enough to make me certain my "shield of survival" might need to pop up again any second.
If I could've raised my hand and politely excused myself from this deep shit, I absolutely would have. But their stares locked like dueling storms, and somehow, I was the unfortunate bystander stuck right in the middle.
Auren's voice finally cut through the thick silence, calm but laced with heat.
"You," he began, his tone low, "always blaming others for your own weakness. That's just like you, Lucian. I let it go earlier because I get it… you were furious your wife got attacked."
He took a breath, his eyes hardening. "But this? This isn't about her safety anymore, is it?"
