Chapter 104: A Cry Beneath the Crown
Lyria's POV
"All suitor candidates," the footman announced, his voice ringing clear and unwavering through the vast expanse of the Grand Hall, "step forward."
For a moment, no one moved.
Then, as though guided by a single, invisible thread, the men began to advance.
One by one, they stepped from the crowd—boots gliding over polished marble, coats falling into perfect lines, expressions composed beneath the weight of expectation. The soft rustle of fabric and the muted echo of footsteps filled the silence that had settled over the hall.
I watched them from my place in the shadows, my breath measured, my hands folded neatly before me.
Baron Redwick moved with quiet precision, his posture straight, his expression thoughtful behind the glint of his spectacles. Duke Thorncrest followed, all effortless grace and polished charm. Earl Hawthorne stepped forward with a faint stiffness, as though bracing himself for something yet to come.
