Elara's pov
My feet carried me through the palace hallways, but I could not feel them moving. Everything around me looked blurry, like I was walking through water. The stone walls passed by on both sides. The torches on the walls gave off orange light. My dress made soft sounds as I walked. But none of it felt real.
Behind me, I could hear Kaelen's boots hitting the floor. He was following me. Each step he took sounded angry, hard, like he was fighting to control himself.
We walked in silence. The only sounds were our footsteps and my breathing, which came too fast. My chest felt tight. My hands were shaking. I pressed them against my stomach, trying to stop the shaking, but it did not work.
We needed to get far from the courtyard. Far from where everyone had seen what I did to King Thorin. Far from their watching eyes and their judging faces.
When we finally reached a quiet part of the palace, far enough that no one else could hear us, Kaelen spoke.
"That was reckless."
