CHAPTER 142
The chamber was filled well before the noon bell. Candles flickered along the walls, their smoke mixing with the faint musk of old parchment. The table at the center gleamed with polish, yet it was crowded now with scrolls, ledgers, and sealed boxes. The councillors had taken their seats in silence, each bringing with them the unspoken tension that hung over the kingdom ever since Commander Robert's departure.
Grace sat at the head, her back straight, her face composed. She did not lean into the seat as a man might at leisure, but remained poised, as though even the chair was not fully trusted. Her eyes moved across the chamber, counting each councillor present, measuring the weight of their anticipation.
No one dared to speak first. The silence thickened.
Grace lifted her hand slightly, palm downward. "Begin."
