Lana
"Demon King, make the decision now! We support Lana, but only with fair terms!"
"She must marry a demon! Decide now!"
The voices boomed from all directions, like war drums chasing the rhythm of my chaotic heartbeat.
I looked at the Demon King, hoping—somehow—that he would defend me. That he would stand and say this wasn't necessary. That I was enough. That they could trust me even without shared blood.
But instead…
He looked me dead in the eye and said, in a voice that shattered my soul. "If this is the will of the people… then it must be fulfilled."
"WHAT?!" Sylas stepped forward, his voice thundering. "You can't make that decision. We don't agree!"
Kaelith also spoke, calm but sharp. "Lana is our wife. This decision is an insult. It is illegitimate. And we will not accept it."
But the crowd didn't care.
They grew louder. More fervent. More dangerous.
And just as everything was about to spiral—
Someone stepped forward from the crowd.
His steps were calm. Confident.
