Draven's pov
The air in the hall was thick, heavy with smoke and tension. I sat at the head of the long oak table, the flickering candlelight casting shadows that danced like ghosts on the stone walls. Around me were my most trusted men, the pillars of my empire,the ones who built it from dust and ambition. Tonight was more than a meeting. It was a declaration.
Eira stood beside me, her presence impossible to ignore. She wore a blood-red gown that clung to her like a second skin, sharp and commanding in a way that made the room pulse with a new energy. Her face was unreadable,calm, confident, but behind those eyes, I saw the steel of a survivor. She wasn't just sitting beside me; she was staking her claim.
From the corner of the room, I caught Kira's eyes. She stood against the cold stone, lips pressed thin, burning with a rage that threatened to explode. I didn't look away. I let her watch because I wanted her to see. Eira was here. And I was done hiding the truth.
