The hall fell into a strained silence after Anastasia's remark. The Duke's face darkened, though he struggled to maintain a semblance of calm.
"Anastasia," he said after a long pause, his voice gentler than before but still heavy with authority. "You may resent me for what happened, but no matter what words were spoken in anger, blood cannot be changed. You are my daughter — that truth remains, even if you refuse to acknowledge it."
Anastasia's expression did not waver. "Blood…" She emphasized the word as though she were trying to test it.
Hearing the mockery in the way she said it, Duke Thompson worried that she had found out the truth. "But, Your Grace, it is not always a bond of love or favor toward me. You have declared this before the entire kingdom."
