CHAPTER TEN
My heart pounds a fierce rhythm against my ribs as I stand alone before the crescent table where the elders sit, their faces like weathered parchment, eyes fixed on me with expectation.
"Explain, Sage," Elder Miriam says, her voice as brittle as the autumn leaves outside. The air smells of sage and old books, a scent that usually brings comfort, but now feels like a shroud tightening around me.
I lift my chin, meeting the gaze of each elder in turn. "I appreciate the honor you believe you are bestowing upon me," I begin, my voice steady despite the tempest inside. "But I must refuse to accept Torin as my mate solely based on a celestial alignment."
My words hang in the silent chamber, the only sound the crackling of the hearth fire. I see their shock, wide eyes and mouths s
