The chamber had gone too quiet. Even the chandeliers seemed to hold their flame still, as if the entire hall had stopped breathing to listen to Kairos. He leaned back in his chair with a faint, poisonous smile, the kind that made every word sound like it had been sharpened first.
"Your Majesty, some of us here know just how lethal your beauty is," he said, as though he were complimenting me and insulting me at the same time. "Why don't we talk about that instead?"
Elowen gave a slow nod, one corner of his mouth lifting. "Yes," he agreed, voice smooth with false seriousness. "His beauty is lethal. I fully... how should I say this... agree with Kairos."
My fingers tightened around the armrests of the throne. My face grew hot at once, and I glared at both of them with all the anger I could summon. "Why are you talking as if I'm not here?" I snapped. "You know I can hear you."
Kairos's smile sharpened. "Of course, we know you're here."
