The hall had settled into an eerie silence, as if the near disaster had been nothing more than a minor ripple in the grand proceedings of the night. The nobles whispered among themselves, their gazes drawn to Damian in something resembling awe, the fear hidden beneath layers of admiration. Damian had shown complete control, an unwavering strength that left no room for doubt.
Gabriel felt his body becoming sluggish, and he was still absorbing more ether than he should, but he, like Damian, could not tell anyone how bad it was.
