I stood there for a heartbeat, paralyzed by the sheer amount of killing intent radiating from the girl beside me. I could practically feel Ella's blood pressure rising. I tried to pull my hand back, but she only gripped it harder, her knuckles turning white.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty," Ella said, her voice dripping with a sweetness that was terrifyingly fake. "Rael was just telling me how much he missed *home* while he was busy... helping you last night."
I swallowed hard and moved toward the long table. The tension in the air was so thick you could have cut it with a goblin's scimitar. I found two empty chairs next to each other and quickly sat down, hoping that by putting Ella on one side of me, I'd at least have one "safe" flank.
I was wrong.
