ZAVIAN NOLVEN POV

We all sat in silence, the tension in the air so thick I could cut through it with a knife if I had one.

Mother sat rigidly beside Father, her sharp eyes fixed on me with that familiar mix of disdain and rage I'd come to expect ever since the night I reported Father to the authorities.

I knew she hated my guts. Knew that she'd rather be anywhere but here. But she came anyway, and judging by what I knew about their dynamics, she was only here as backup in case Father failed.

They were really the perfect match, weren't they?

Father cleared his throat, the...