The square fell into utter silence.
Even the wind, which had been brushing gently through the trees, seemed to hold its breath.
Kael's presence shifted the air itself.
His hand still rested casually on the Leonaris's shoulder, but the lazy tilt of his head and the calm gleam in his golden eyes made the villagers feel as though the very world had stopped moving around him.
Then—softly, carefully—Alenia spoke.
"Lord Kael," she began, her voice steady but firm, "he completely disregarded the rule that everyone here must work for themselves. He believes the people here are his servants—to be ordered around as he pleases."
The words rang sharp in the silence, and a few eyes flicked toward her in surprise.
Everyone could tell—those weren't the exact words the Leonaris had said.
But the way he'd stood, the way he'd glared and acted... it was close enough to be true.
She was twisting the facts to make his actions look worse than they were.
