36
“A Traitor!” Coracis announced, and the Senators before him sat up straighter in their hard bench seats, sucking in deep breaths of air and holding it behind pale, pursed lips.
The Senators were enwrapped in his tale of the Queen’s secret undertakings and his description of the dark magic wielded by the nomadic Shaman told to him by Captain Abelardus. They were quiet for the entire speech, pulled into Coracis’ tale like children before a puppeteer. They paused after their united gasp. Then, one by one, they stood from their seats and applauded vigorously, their draping robes fluttering madly with the movement, the echoing hall amplifying their hearty clapping.
Before his scanning eyes he could not see a single one of them that seemed hesitant or reserved about their support. Rarely d
