The council chamber buzzed with restless murmurs. Elders shifted in their seats, some glancing at one another with furrowed brows, others tapping fingers against the polished wood of the long table.
The tension had been building for hours, and their impatience filled the room like smoke. Every eye was alert, every whisper sharp with concern.
Silas entered quietly. The room fell into a charged silence the moment he stepped inside. It was a silence that carried the weight of authority, the kind that made hesitation impossible.
He let it stretch for a heartbeat before speaking. His voice was calm, measured, each word deliberate, enough to stop every speculation before it could form.
"I see there is already much concern in this chamber," he said, glancing over the gathered elders. "And rightly so. But before questions escalate, allow me to provide clarity."
