Everyone was leaving the courtroom in a haze of whispers and low murmurs. The echo of Lydia's words still lingered in the air like smoke after a fire. No one seemed to walk out with certainty. They shook their heads, muttered under their breaths, and exchanged doubtful glances. It felt as if the ground beneath the palace had shifted and no one knew where to step.
The senate members grouped themselves as they walked out, their heads bent close together, voices sharp yet hushed.
"This is unbelievable," one said.
"Never in all my years have I seen such boldness," another muttered.
"Surely this cannot stand," someone else whispered, but his voice trembled with hesitation rather than conviction.
