Elias crossed the dining hall with long, steady steps.
The moment he reached me, his hand closed around mine—warm, firm, and possessive. I did not pull away. His gaze lifted from me and settled on the king, his expression calm but his eyes sharp.
"What is the meaning of this, Father?"
The room fell so silent that even the servants seemed afraid to breathe. The king frowned slightly, clearly displeased with the interruption.
"This has nothing to do with you, Elias."
Elias did not release my hand. Instead, his fingers tightened around mine slightly.
"It has everything to do with me."
His voice remained controlled, but there was unmistakable steel beneath it.
"She is my wife. So I would very much like to know what is happening."
The king sighed as though the situation were terribly inconvenient.
"Lady Ophelia was here first," he said evenly. "So in all honesty, she has the right to remain seated."
I watched Elias carefully, but his expression did not change.
