The silence inside the Great Hall of Seven was absolute, heavy enough to drown out the mountain winds howling against the high stained-glass dome.
Lord Oberon sat frozen on his central ebony throne, his hands trembling against the polished armrests. His gaze shifted from the black-ribboned bank draft in my hand to the towering figure of Cassian standing beside me, whose molten silver eyes held a promise of absolute ruin.
Beside Oberon, Lord Kaelen stood up completely, his face dark with fury as he glared down at Julian. "Alpha Ashbourne! You brought us here under the pretense of enforcing law and order, yet you backed our winter grain reserves with phantom credit vouchers? You dragged this Council into your private financial bankruptcy!"
"I... I can explain, Lord Kaelen!" Julian stammer
