Cherion didn't even wait for Cassian to finish whatever smug retort was forming in his throat. The second Zarius double-folded over his own stomach, clutching his temples with a muffled groan, Cherion's hands were already on him, catching his weight before his knees could slap the marble floor.
"Zarius!"
The Grand Salon instantly turned into a stirred hornets' nest. Nobles shuffled backward with collective gasps, velvet skirts rustling frantically against the floor. Cassian took a quick, dramatic half-step back.
Having only stepped into the Grand Salon a few minutes prior, the group had been keeping a small distance to let Cherion and Zarius navigate the nobles, but the moment the quiet shattered, the crowd parted in a flurry of movement. Marielle froze, her face instantly draining of color as her worry took over, and she immediately rushed past a group of startled nobles toward them.
