Claire's POV

"You just spent the last hour proving that unnecessary."

Nobody moved.

Victoria stood frozen by the table, the pendant still tangled in her fingers. Her mouth hung open, a protest dying on her lips. Arthur had turned the color of chalk.

His eyes darted from Damian to the witnesses clustered in the broken wall. I watched the realization hit him—every single word had been heard. The contract. Halric. The threats. All of it, aired out in front of Elders and a court scribe.

Damian stepped fully into the room, his guards fanning out behind him.

Victoria recovered first.

"Your Majesty," she said, smoothing her tone into something polished...