Aria's pov
The minister frowned, clearly displeased. "But the rumors—"
"Are baseless!" Eadric's tone brooked no argument. "Aria has been nothing but loyal. This slander ends now."
The tension in the room crackled, but no one dared to challenge Eadric further. I kept my gaze steady, hiding the turmoil inside. I knew that as long as these doubts persisted, I was walking on a razor's edge. We had to uncover the truth, about everything, before it was too late.
Later that night, Eadric and I retreated to his chambers. The door closed behind us, shutting out the hostile world beyond. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. "This is getting worse. Whoever is behind this wants to tear us apart before we get to the truth."
Eadric nodded, his expression dark. "I know. That's why we have to act quickly. We need to find out what really happened all those years ago, starting with my mother's identity. If we can expose the lies, we might stand a chance at stopping this war."
