Evander's POV
I didn't bother turning around as her footsteps drew closer.
Behind me, lighter steps. Softer. Slower. And a voice—one I'd come to recognize without even trying.
"Mara… why did you stop?" Odette's voice floated across the hall, soft with confusion. I could almost picture her blind eyes darting, trying to make sense of where she'd been led. She probably had no idea I was even here, no idea which room she was in or that she'd just walked straight into the center of my fortress.
The room went silent. Soldiers held their breath.
And then Elena's voice, dripping with disgust. "And who is this… thing?"
Her tone grated down my spine. She said it like Odette was dirt tracked across her silk dress.
I still didn't turn around. My fingers flexed against the edge of the desk as I waited for Odette's response without really knowing why.
It came immediately.
"Oh my—" she gasped, scandalized. "A person is not a thing. You shouldn't ever say that to anyone."
