“Your future queen is leaving,” I said firmly, and I felt Verena stiffen beside me. I felt her magic take in my words and slither back as if it, too, were waiting to see what I would do. “Kneel.” A beat of silence before my father’s laugh rang out. His hands curled into fists, his knuckles stark white against his skin. But one by one, the others stood. They all hesitated, their gazes flicking between Verena and my father, before the first finally dropped to his knee. Verena tugged at my hand, but I didn’t look away from them. Another knelt to the ground. And another. Verena inhaled sharply
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