The fathers' faces darkened.
"They were young!" one protested.
"They were foolish," Roderic corrected flatly. "And fools who flaunt their status invite consequences."
"You're saying they deserved to die?!" another said with a grim face.
Roderic's eyes flicked to him, sharp as a blade.
"I am saying," he replied evenly, "that if someone had the ability to kill four members of our clan in one night without alerting the guards… then we are dealing with something more serious than your grief."
That shut them up.
He stood slowly from his chair.
"If this was an internal grudge, we will find it…" His gaze turned toward the open doorway, toward the town beyond the manor walls. "…Get out of here, now."
The three men left the hall with dark expressions, their steps stiff and heavy.
None of them dared to argue further.
They had influence within the clan. They had relatives, allies, people who owed them favors. But none of that mattered in front of Roderic.
