The briefing lasted two grueling, razor-sharp hours. Pavellia moved through the reconstruction's operational architecture with the terrifying efficiency of a grand architect executing a long-awaited design.
This wasn't a mere report; it was a masterwork of logistical warfare, a forty-three-page dossier she had forged in the frantic, blood-stained hours between the purge's final phase and the throne room session. She had worked through the night while Rex slept, her mind a relentless engine of calculation.
When she placed the heavy stack of documents on the table, Rex noted the slight paleness of her skin and the predatory focus in her eyes. He offered no praise; admiration was a luxury for the weak, but the silence between them acknowledged her labor.
The first thirty minutes were a brutal dissection of the city's broken bones. Halvard stepped forward, presenting a material assessment that was as cold as it was comprehensive.
