Atheline exchanged a glance with Lilith. She looked calm but he knew her well enough to understand what lay beneath that calm.
Disappointment.
Years ago she had crushed a toxic tyrannical rule and believed it had ended. Now, she was discovering embers hidden beneath the ashes, that had continued burning in secret.
The final arrest concluded. The nobles were escorted away. The remaining members of nobility stood in uneasy silence.
She surveyed them one final time then spoke.
"This kingdom survived Tyranny."
Her voice carried through the hall.
"It survived civil conflict."
"It survived traitors."
"It survived enemies."
She paused, her gaze sweeping across the group.
"It will survive this."
Nobody doubted her, not after everything that had happened. Lilith looked toward the gathered nobles.
"The guilty should fear," her commanding voice echoed through the throne room. She continued a moment later, "The innocent should not."
