ned. "We are counting on you," she said, h

, her voice steady, eve

born from decades of power. "Now," he said, his voice rich and

ent she had been prepar

here for her, but for Adelaide-the girl whose life she was borrowing. The weight of it pressed on her, but she

For gracing this occasion with me today. I feel honored and loved to have you all here wit

their expressions radiating approval. Others, less convinced, exchanged whispered thoughts and skeptical gl

in the room: the six ruling families. It was impossible to ignore their looming pr

gazes

inch. He didn't smile, didn't frown. He just... looked. And somehow, that made it worse. His piercing gaze f

she stared back, the more she felt the panic creeping in, like icy tendrils

r speech dissolv

She blinked, realizing, to her horror, that she had stopped mid-sentence. Th

eatures was impossible to miss. His expression screamed fix this, n

ghtening with barely concealed

her, dissecting every second of her failure. The pressure was suffocating. Her mind r

ose the

d to face the crowd. Her palms felt clammy, her heart a wild drumbeat, but sh

refused to meet anyone's gaze. Instead, she looked just above t

"It seems I got a bit carried away in the emotion of the moment." She p

gy shifting as they took in her recovery. It wasn't

day to check if I was still alive." She let her words linger, lacing them with subtle sarcasm as she scanned the room. "And let me tell you, his dedication was... inspiring. Th

hrough the room, and she allowed hers

so slightly, his rigid posture softening. She knew she wasn't o

through the rest of the evenin

cing back at Mr. and Mrs. Whitlock. Their faces were a study in barely concealed surpris

love and support. For doing everything in your power to see me wel

be even disbelief. The real Adelaide, she suspected, would never have said thes

ctation hung in the air. "So now," she said, her voice rising just enough to carry across the ro

stillness. One by one, others joined in, the applause swelling into a t

pping. Her eyes glistened, and though she tried desperately to

to drown everything else. Nina raised a hand, signaling for calm. "Thank

a steadying breath and continued, "Before I end my speech tonight, I have one final

udience. She let the pause stretch, the ant

y family and, perhaps, over some of you as well." Her tone was measured, each word carefully

electric. Faces shifted from curiosity to astonishment. She hel

feel stronger than I have in years. And, thanks to a secret antidote my parents

So, I say to you all-there is no need to worry about t

the room was frozen, grappling with the weight of her