KODA'S POV
The doors slammed shut behind the guards as they dragged Ayasha away. Her screams still echoed in the marble hall, calling us monsters and murderers. The words hit harder than they should have. She wasn't wrong.
My right hand throbbed where her dagger had punched through my palm. Blood dripped steadily onto the floor, mixing with what remained of Zara's. The metallic smell made my stomach turn. I pressed my left hand against the wound, trying to slow the bleeding, but it seeped between my fingers anyway.
"Clean this mess," Father commanded the servants. "And remove the body."
They scurried forward with buckets and rags, working quickly to erase all evidence of what had happened. In minutes, the hall would look pristine again. Like Zara had never existed. Like Ayasha had never tried to kill the King of Lamia with a hidden blade.
