The great hall was heavy with silence — the kind that pressed down like a stone on the chest, making it hard to breathe. The air smelled of incense and roses, but to Edran, it was the scent of a funeral. His heart pounded so loudly he was sure they could hear it outside the castle walls.

You stood at the end of the aisle, your face pale and still as carved marble. You didn’t look at the man beside you — the old king with his cold, sunken eyes and greedy smile. You didn’t look at anyone. You only stared ahead, your hands trembling at your sides.

Edran stood just outside the great wooden doors, his fists clenched at his sides. He had been your shadow for years, your sword and your shield. He had loved you in silence, his words swallowed by duty, his heart caged by loyalty. And now — now they would take you from him. Send you across the sea to a man who would never deserve you.

The priest’s voice echoed through the hall. “If any man has cause why these two should not be joined in marriage—”

The doors flew open with a thunderous crack.

Every head turned. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Edran stood in the doorway, his dark hair wind-tousled, his chest heaving, his sword strapped at his hip. His eyes locked on yours — and for the first time in his life, he let the fear go.

“I have cause,” he said, his voice ringing through the hall. “And I will not be silent.”