[Meredith].
Draven finally lifted his eyes to mine just for a heartbeat. But the look was enough to make my stomach tighten.
"To force my hand." A small pause before he continued. "And to see how the King and a few others react to you, before I am prepared to handle it."
My fingers tightened around my knife. 'So this wasn't just about appearances. This was a strategy, politics, pressure, and testing boundaries. Setting me up for scrutiny I wasn't ready for.'
I swallowed gently, lifted my cup, and drank everything to steady my breath.
Just then, Draven's final words came through the mindlink, like a quiet vow. "Don't worry. I will decide who sees you and when. Not him."
My heart softened just slightly as the table fell into a natural, gentle quiet.
Randall didn't press the matter again. He didn't question Draven further or even look our way.
