Lucian turned toward him. Beside Lumberling stood Lireath, her gaze steady.
"Is that true?" Lucian asked, his voice even, though the weight of his gaze demanded an honest answer.
Lumberling finally spoke, his tone level.
"Do you think he would still be standing if we had truly ganged up on him?"
A murmur swept the gathered crowd.
"You were clearly ganging up on me…" Kairo spat, his voice rising again, desperate to cling to the story he'd spun.
But Lucian's sharp blue eyes turned on him. His voice cut through the courtyard like steel.
"You wouldn't even survive a single second."
"That's impossible, if it comes to it, I can take them," Kairo muttered, his voice tight with confidence.
Lucian's frown deepened, his disapproval sharp. Seeing that look, Kairo's defiance collapsed. He shut his mouth, his fists trembling at his side.
The courtyard fell into silence.
Then, a lazy voice broke through.
