Claire's POV

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 and polite. "With all due respect, this is a...