Chapter 44: Orders
Elias, still shaky and pale from his injuries, was helped up by the guards. He staggered to the side, his eyes lowered in shame and exhaustion. The Duke’s gaze lingered on him for a moment before he turned back to Ellory. He watched as the maids carefully carried her away, her head resting against their shoulders, eyes fluttering with fatigue. Only when she was completely out of sight did the Duke’s expression harden once more.
Straightening his posture, he raised his voice, "Cyruz Dravenhart!"
Cyruz, who had been standing among the line of guards and servants, visibly flinched. His eyes went wide with surprise before he quickly stepped forward, his movements stiff and hesitant. "F-Father..." he stammered, coming to a stop in the middle of the grand hall, right in the Duke’s line of sight.
The Duke’s eyes were sharp and unyielding, his expression carved from stone. "Ellory took a step forward," he began, his tone heavy with disappointment and anger. "She pleaded. She begged for mercy—not for herself, but for Elias. She blamed herself, admitted her fault...And you? You just stood there? Silent? Watching?"
Cyruz’s head hung low, his fists clenched. "I... I didn’t..."
"You didn’t what?!" the Duke roared, his voice shaking the walls of the hall. The maids and guards stiffened, some even lowering their heads to avoid his gaze. "You didn’t have the courage to speak? To stand up for your own actions? Or perhaps you thought hiding in the shadows would save you from accountability?"
"N-No, Father... I—" Cyruz tried to explain, but his voice cracked under the weight of his father’s glare.
"Ellory, your younger sister, showed more bravery than you!" the Duke spat, his hands clenched tightly behind his back. "Despite her wounds, she walked here and stood up for Elias. But you..." He shook his head, his expression darkening. "You shame the Dravenhart name with your cowardice."
Cyruz’s shoulders shook, his eyes burning with unshed tears. "I’m sorry..." he whispered, barely audible.