112

Princess Yeri.

My heart pounds like a war drum. Successfully, I have traded places— a desperate gamble for survival. Now, I am standing as an imposter but I don’t regret it. I have never let go of something that belonged to me. What are those in his eyes? Usually, they are pools of fathomless depths but today, they act as a tempestuous sea. Is it anger? Disbelief? Or perhaps…hate? A cold sweat breaks out on my brow at the meaning behind his eyes. I thought I did not care. I thought his gaze would not have an effect on the me, at least, not today.

A collective gasp ripples through the hall as the realization dawns upon the assembled court. Whispers turn into murmurs, then into outright accusations. In seconds, I can feel the weight of their scrutiny pressing down on me like an invisible force. Regardless, I hold contact with Ozar. The tumult around us becomes a distant echo, a meaningless cacophony. It is a thick tension yet, it feels as if only us existed, two figures caught in a sile