The banquet hall held its breath. Azrael stood with his hand on Lyanna's waist, his eyes moving between her and Elise.
"Queen Elise." He said looking at his wine glass on the table. "My wife is right."
The word "wife" hit the room like a stone dropped in still water.
He turned to look at Elise, and looked at her like the king he was.
"You are a guest in Thornfield. So you need to respect the woman who will be queen of this court tomorrow." He paused. "I suggest you improve yourself."
The shock on Elise's face was palpable. Her eyes widened, her lips parted slightly, and a flush of pure rage crept up her neck.
For a moment, Lyanna thought Elise might snap back. But Elise was too smart. She immediately forced a smile, looking at Lyanna.
"Of course. My apologies, Lady Lyanna. I was wrong to speak to you like this." Her voice was dripping with fury. "I'm sure you'll make a… suitable queen."
The insult was still there but it was wrapped in courtesy. Lyanna chose to ignore it.
"Thank you for your understanding, Queen Elise." Lyanna replied graciously.
Elise then turned and walked away. The hall erupted into nervous chatter. Lyanna felt her knees go weak with relief.
Azrael's hand on her elbow guided her back into her seat. It wasn't a gentle touch, but a firm reminder of who was in control. He then leaned closer to her.
"Don't mistake political necessity for affection, wife. I supported you because Elise was disrespecting Thornfield's authority, not because I care about your feelings. She challenged my choice. That's an insult to me, not to you."
The words stung more than they should have. Lyanna had known he didn't care about her, but a foolish part of her had hoped that his defence meant something more.
"But," He continued, his hand moving from her arm to her thigh under the table in a possessive way. "you played that well. You were aggressive enough to be dominant without being crass. You made her look petty."
His thumb drew small circles on her leg, the touch was sending heat through her despite the coldness of his words.
"I'm almost impressed." He finished, pulling back to his normal position.
The rest of the banquet passed in a blur. Vampires continued approaching, congratulating them, and having conversations. But the energy had changed. They looked at Lyanna with a new kind of wariness.
Lord Damien came to them again.
"Well done, little queen." He said. "Elise needed someone to remind her she's not the centre of every court. You've got spine. I like that."
Hours passed. Finally, Azrael stood up, signalling the end of the banquet.
"Thank you for celebrating with us tonight. Guest chambers have been prepared. We'll meet tomorrow for the wedding ceremony."
Vampires began walking toward the exits. Lyanna started to stand as well, expecting to return to her own chambers, when Azrael's hand on her elbow stopped her.
"Not you. We need to talk."
He took her away from the dispersing crowd, down a corridor towards his private study. The study was dimmer than the banquet hall, lit only by a few candles.
Azrael poured himself blood wine, and, surprisingly, poured regular wine into a second glass and offered it to her.
"You need this."
Lyanna accepted it and took a long sip. It warmed her from the inside.
"You did well tonight." He said, leaning against the edge of his desk. "Damien could have crushed you but you responded with diplomacy and showed him you're not easily intimidated."
He swirled his wine.
"With Elise, you took a calculated risk. She was testing you. You established boundaries instead. The court respects strength. They might not like you, but they'll respect you."
Lyanna took another sip of wine, processing his words.
"But don't let it go to your head. You have won only a single encounter, not a war. Elise has been a queen for three centuries. She is clever and vicious. She has resources, allies, and power you can't imagine. And you've humiliated her publicly. She will retaliate."
"Then why did you support me?" Lyanna asked. "If it causes problems, why not just let her put me in my place?"
He smiled coldly.
"Because you are in your place. You're about to be my wife, my queen. Letting Elise disrespect you is letting her disrespect my choice and my authority. That's unacceptable."
He stepped closer, tilting her chin up with his cold fingers.
"Elise and I have history. We were lovers for nearly a century. She's beautiful, and powerful. She knows sides of me you'll never see, knows things about me you'll never know. She's very skilled in ways you can't imagine yet. We shared a century, that's longer than your entire bloodline has existed."
Each word felt like a deliberate jab. Lyanna tried to pull away, but his grip on her chin didn't let her.
"But she's not my wife. You are. And while I don't like you, I am extraordinarily possessive of what's mine."
His thumb then moved to her jawline.
"I'll support you against Elise, against anyone who challenges your position. Not because I care about you but because you're my possession. And I protect what belongs to me." He leaned closer. "Do you understand?"
"You're saying you'd defend an object the same way and this isn't about me at all."
"Exactly." He stepped back. "I'm glad you understand. In public, you're my queen and deserve respect. In private…"
He didn't have to finish, his expression said everything.
In private, she was still his prisoner.
Before Lyanna could respond, a knock at the door interrupted them. Azrael was irritated with the disturbance.
"What?"
The door opened, and Victor stepped inside.
"Your Majesty, forgive the intrusion." His eyes moved to Lyanna, then back to Azrael. "We've received urgent news. There's been another Holy Order attack."
The atmosphere in the room changed instantly.
"Where?" Azrael asked.
"Shadowmere border territories. King Damien received the news a few minutes ago and he is requesting immediate emergency council."
Azrael's jaw tightened.
"Casualties?"
"Early reports suggest fifty vampires are dead. They attacked three territories simultaneously, in coordinated strikes."
"Damn." Azrael was already walking towards the door. "Summon the inner council. I want Helena, Adrian, and Morgana in the council chamber immediately."
"There's more, Your Majesty."
Both Azrael and Lyanna looked at him.
"They found documents at the attack sites. Intelligence reports about Shadowmere's border defenses, patrol schedules, and weak points." Victor paused. "They are recent, Your Majesty. Dated just days before Graves Castle fell."
Lyanna's face turned pale.
"They're from The House Of Graves?" Azrael asked.
"The handwriting is of Queen Isabelle's, and the seal is authentic." Victor looked at Lyanna. "It seems your mother's betrayal went much deeper than we thought."
Queen Isabelle hadn't just betrayed vampires in the past. She'd been actively providing intelligence to the Holy Order right up until her death.
Lyanna felt like the floor falling under her.
"My mother…" She whispered.
Azrael's expression was unreadable as he looked at her.
"Victor, get the council assembled. Now." He turned to Lyanna. "You're coming with me."
"But I don't know anything about…"
"I know. But the council needs to see that."
He took her arm and led her towards the door.
As they walked through the corridors, Lyanna's mind spiralled.
How many people had died because of the intelligence my mother provided? How much of my family's legacy is built on vampire corpses?
When they reached the council chamber doors, Azrael paused, turning to look at her.
"Whatever happens in there, remember, you're under my protection. They can't touch you without going through me. Understand?"
Lyanna nodded.
"Good." He pushed open the doors. "Now, let's find out what more your mother did."