CHAPTER 161
The council chamber was already filled when Grace entered. The heavy doors swung open at her approach, and every conversation halted. Councillors straightened in their seats, heads bowing in unison as she walked to the front. The room smelled faintly of parchment and smoke—signs that the investigation had been underway since dawn.
Grace's expression was calm, but her eyes carried the sharpness of someone who hadn't slept. She took her seat and motioned for the reports to begin. Mathew Sterrn stood nearest the table, holding a folder of fresh documents.
"King," he began, his voice low but clear. "We've received the first dispatch from the north. The riders returned before sunrise."
Grace rested her elbows on the table, fingers interlocked. "Speak."
