The silence that followed Kael's accusations was deafening. Arianna felt every eye in the hall turn to her—assessing, judging, wondering if there was any truth to the claims. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, nails biting into her palms.

"That's insane," she said, her voice steadier than she felt. "Every word of that is a lie."

"Is it?" Kael's expression was one of wounded innocence, perfected over what must have been weeks of practice. "Then perhaps you can explain why, immediately after your father's death, you fled Ravenwood rather than staying to help your pack through the transition? Why you ended up here, conveniently in the care of...