Third Person's POV
Rina finally finished her message in one smooth breath, and she not only relayed Altheria's orders but also added subtle clarifications of her own.
She had long served at the Blood Duchess's side and knew instinctively what her lady wished conveyed, even when not spoken aloud.
Once her duty was complete, she fixed her crimson eyes on Ethan, eager to gauge his reaction.
However, to her mild surprise, she was met not with immediate compliance or questions about the command but with silence as he regarded her with a strange, unreadable expression.
His gaze was calm yet seemed to be probing at the same time, as though he were weighing her very essence rather than her words.
The silence stretched until, at last, he broke it with something wholly unexpected words that made her blink in genuine astonishment.
"Who are you, miss?"
The way he addressed her was so ordinary, yet so direct that it struck her harder than she anticipated.
'Miss'
