The maids kept singing her praises after hearing what she had done, while they combed her hair in preparation for her night's sleep.
"You were brilliant, my lady," one said, her voice almost giddy. She was Noa. "No one could stand against you today."
"Even the advisors were speechless! Do you know what that means?" another chimed in, her name was Ivy.
Lilah chuckled softly, though her hands fidgeted in her lap.
"I wasn't brilliant. I was just… lucky. My thoughts happened to fall into place at the right time."
But her words only made them protest more loudly, their admiration rising in unison until their voices abruptly stilled.
The room had shifted, weighted by a presence stronger than any praise.
But only the maids had noticed it as they froze, their eyes fixed on the doorway where Kael stood, his gaze unreadable in the dim light.
He raised a hand and crossed his fingers over his lips to silence them about his presence, and without a word, dismissed them.
