"One man," a portly lord scoffed, though his eyes darted nervously. "Surely our combined forces could hunt down a single assassin."
"If he were just a man," countered another, leaning forward. "Some say he's more myth than flesh. A vengeful spirit sent to punish noble excess."
Laughter, strained and hollow, met this suggestion.
"I saw him," Lady Dravien said suddenly, her voice cutting through the noise. The hall fell silent once more. "The day my cousin died. I glimpsed him fleeing the scene."
Her eyes, dark with memory, swept the assembled lords. "He moves like no man I've ever seen. Faster than thought. And his eyes..." She shuddered visibly. "They burn with a hatred that goes beyond the personal. He kills because we exist."
The shard against Soren's chest warmed slightly, Valenna's interest piqued by this description.
