"Silence," she said softly, "is only cold when there is nothing behind it. My husband's silence is full. It speaks of loyalty, of restraint, of passion controlled. And when it breaks..." her gaze sharpened, the faintest, daring smile tugging her lips, "it hunts. It claims. It devours."
She paused, her hand brushing her neck deliberately where Alaric's mark still lingered. "He has far better uses for his breath."
A collective hush fell.
The ladies flushed, glancing away quickly.
One dropped her fan in shock, while another gave a nervous laugh.
Katherine, seated beside Daphne, nearly choked on her wine.
She quickly masked it with a delicate cough, though her eyes danced with barely concealed amusement.
"Well," Katherine said lightly, cutting into the silence, "it seems the Princess has reminded us that words are not the only language worth learning."
