The air around her seemed to vibrate with mana and Julius stood frozen, utterly speechless.
For a man who thrived on control, who knew every word to manipulate her—he now found himself lost.
The Leona before him was not the subdued matriarch who bowed to every decision.
This was a leader, one burning with defiance and love for her people.
He realised in that moment that he had miscalculated—badly.
This was the one line Leona would never cross.
The one topic where her will was iron.
He had pushed too far, too soon.
Panic flickered behind his eyes. He needed to salvage this, calm her before she dug in completely.
So, quickly, he raised his hands in a gesture of peace.
"Alright, alright! Calm down" He said hurriedly, forcing a shaky laugh. "There's no need to get so worked up, my dear Leona. Please, calm yourself."
She was still breathing heavily, her glare locked on him, but he tried to regain control of the situation with his practiced smile.
