The silence that followed my scream was deafening. Two dozen hardened soldiers stood like statues, their eyes darting between me and the man they feared most. Leo's hands remained frozen in mid-air, his small face crumpling with confusion and fear at the sound of my voice.
"Mommy?" he whispered, his voice trembling.
I didn't stop until I reached the ledge. I snatched Leo up, pulling his small body against mine with a fierce, protective grip. "Don't 'Mommy' me, Leo. We are going inside. Now."
"But Dad said—"
"I don't care what he said!" I snapped, my eyes locked onto Asher's.
Asher hadn't moved. He stood with his feet planted shoulder-width apart, his face a mask of cold stone. But I could see the muscle jumping in his jaw—the only sign that my public outburst had struck a nerve.
"Dismissed," Asher said, his voice a low, dangerous rumble that vibrated in my chest.
