Ten minutes remained before the doors were supposed to open, and Azriel could already hear voices on the other side. At least there were some people here who knew how to be on time.
Azriel and the others inside weren't sitting anymore. Nobody was really in the mood to continue talking—except Lioren and the nervous Count. The Count was doing an impressive job of appearing calm as he sat at the table speaking to Lioren, who remained as unbothered as ever, even after banishing his little brothers to their rooms.
On one side of the room, Azriel leaned against the wall, watching Jasmine and Celestina.
"What would you have done if Lioren hadn't blocked that knife?" Celestina asked.
Jasmine shrugged.
"Then it would have been one of the many nuisances in our lives gone."
Celestina couldn't help but look at her skeptically.
"So you would have just killed him? Just because he insulted Azriel? Really?"
