Elliot's POV
The silence is thick, weighted with anticipation and dread. My fingers twitch at my sides as I stand before my brother, King Nathan, whose gaze could freeze fire.
"What was that scream?" Nathan asked with a smirk.
"Explain yourself, Elliot," he commands, his voice devoid of warmth.
"Her name is... was... Aurelia," I begin, faltering as the weight of my actions crushes down on me. "I didn't know."
"Didn't know what?" Nathan's eyes narrow, a predator sizing up its prey.
"That she was a princess," I confess, the words tasting bitter on my tongue.
A sharp breath escapes Nathan, and for a moment, I see the facade crack, revealing a glint of fury. "You've compromised everything, Elliot. Our alliance with the Kestrel realm is severed because of your recklessness."