The council chamber did not remain quiet for long.
A baron rose abruptly, his chair scraping against the marble. “Fine words, but words do not smother fire. If this masked phantom walks among us, then how do we know he is not in this very hall?”
The accusation rippled through the room like a stone dropped in still water. Whispers followed, eyes darting from one noble to another. Some shifted uncomfortably, others bristled, but none spoke in defense. Fear had already sunk its hooks too deep.
“Enough.” My voice cut across the noise, sharper than I intended. The lords fell silent, but the silence was tense, brittle.
Wren leaned back lazily in her seat, one hand trailing the carved armrest. “If you’re looking for traitors, you’ll find more than you care to count,” she said, her tone mock-s
