I hung suspended in Ronan's grasp, my laughter dying instantly in my throat as Landon's gray eyes locked on us. Those eyes—usually stormy and intense—had gone utterly still, like the surface of a frozen lake right before it shatters.
"Put. Her. Down." Each word fell from his lips like a shard of ice.
Ronan immediately set me back on my feet, but I could feel the tension in his body as he stepped slightly in front of me—a protective gesture that made Landon's jaw clench visibly.
"Your Majesty," Ronan began, his tone carefully neutral. "We were just—"
"I can see exactly what you were doing," Landon cut him off. He hadn't moved from his position at the edge of the clearing, but somehow his presence seemed to expand, filling the space between us with an almost palpable threat.
I swallowed hard, trying to find my voice. "My King, Guardian Ronan was helping me translate—"
