The sound came from outside about twenty minutes into dinner.
It was far from quiet. Elizabeth's voice resonated, and the group at the table recognized it before the words became clear, for Elizabeth Von Starlight possessed a distinctive quality in her speech, even when angered: a precision that remained intact, even when the rest of her voice faltered.
What was in it now was not the controlled professional frustration she applied to operational problems. It was something considerably less managed.
"You had one hand free," Elizabeth said from outside.
The words carried clearly through Drevash Inn's wall construction. "You were not holding a weapon. You were not in active combat."
"You, Alexander, chose to hold the weapon in one hand, and when your footing failed due to fatigue from three days of navigating difficult terrain, that is what led to the incident!"
