Every step forward could be the one that breaks me.
Two days after the emblem. Two days of securing Darius's family. Moving them to protected locations. Guarding graves against further desecration. Two days of rage barely contained beneath strategic necessity.
And now. This.
The council's summons arrived at dawn, delivered by a stone-faced courier who wouldn't meet my eyes. Formal. Unavoidable. Mandating duel to "prove loyalty and strength in light of recent security concerns and family-targeted threats." The parchment was heavy, official seal pressed deep into red wax that smelled of smoke and authority.
Translation: Gideon had manipulated them perfectly. Used the emblem attack to question my stability. Used family threats to suggest compromise. Used every tactical advantage to force this confrontation.
