CHAPTER 158
The council chamber was silent except for the faint flash of the torches. The morning light had not yet filled the high windows, and the smell of ink and parchment hung over the long table where the councillors sat waiting.
Grace entered with a slow, measured pace, her cloak trailing behind her. She did not look at anyone until she reached the head of the table. Her eyes were calm, but her expression held the weight of a ruler who had already rehearsed her questions long before this morning.
"Bring the testimonies," she said quietly.
Two guards carried in a chest lined with new records from the north—statements gathered from merchants, wardens, and travellers who had passed through the regions Robert once commanded. Mathew Sterrn stood nearby, his face drawn from sleepless nights. He gave a small bow and opened the chest.
Scrolls and folded letters spilled out like pale leaves. Grace motioned for him to place them before her.
