As they rose from the table, their bodies thrumming with readiness, King Markus turned to Raya, his brow furrowed, his voice firm but kind as he said, "You should return to your room, Raya. It’s safer this way. Leave this to us."
But instead of agreeing, Raya threw her head back and laughed, the sound bright and brittle, filled with a wildness none of them expected. Her eyes gleamed with something fierce and vengeful, something that sent a chill racing down even Azriel’s spine.
"Are you serious?" she asked, her voice still laced with laughter but edged with steel. "Did you really believe I would let you go without me? That I would miss the final moments of the man who cursed my life, who almost killed me and my unborn son? Oh no… I wouldn’t miss this for anything in the world."
She st
