Serena blinked slowly, she did not dare turn her head to look at Livia or Brenna. She exhaled slowly, trying to take ahold of her breathing.
The girl on the dais froze.
She looked at Brenna with a strange, almost pained expression. Then her gaze flicked to Serena as if searching for an answer, maybe something even more. There was nothing Serena could do, she was only an outsider and she would be duly reminded of her status.
Serena stole a glance at Ryker who, to no one's surprise, was staring back at her. Serena's heart lurched, a sharp instinctive squeeze of alarm, she swayed back and brushed Livia's arm.
Livia grabbed her arm discreetly. "Comport yourself," she hissed lowly, though it was bereft of any sort of venom.
For one suspended moment, no one knew what would happen next.
Then Ryker moved.
He barked orders, quick and sharp, his voice slicing through the confusion. "Remove her! Remove her at once!"
