"I believe you all already have a hunch as to why you are gathered here," Wannre began, her voice carrying across palace halls, calm but commanding.
"Perhaps through scraps of rumour, or perhaps through your own intellect. Either way, I will make one thing clear before I proceed."
She paused deliberately. The silence weighed heavy.
Her veil shifted slightly as her gaze swept across the chamber, lingering on the rows of fifty officials seated in their carved coral thrones.
Their heads remained bowed, their eyes pinned to the gleaming floor, but their stiff postures betrayed their temperament.
Her words came slow, deliberate, and cold.
"I will not take 'no' for an answer. Nor will I respect your opinion or reasoning. But—"
Her voice lowered just enough to feel intimate, dangerous, "—I am not so cruel as to call myself a tyrant. I will grant you the option to explain your reasoning. If I deem your words worthy, I may… incorporate them into my plans."
