The council chamber still held the weight of Marco's revelation.
The elders sat motionless around the table, their lined faces hard to read under the flickering candlelight. Outside, the wind pushed against the stone walls like a restless animal trying to get inside.
No one spoke for several seconds.
The silence stretched.
Tight.
Dangerous.
Marco remained standing at the edge of the table, the tablet glowing faintly beside him. The financial records still lingered on the screen like an accusation no one wanted to answer.
Luca shifted his weight.
"Well."
"Someone say something."
One of the elders cleared his throat slowly.
"These numbers could be fabricated."
Marco exhaled through his nose.
"Of course they could."
"Except they aren't."
The elder's eyes narrowed.
"You sound very confident."
"I am."
Elara stood beside Alessandro, her arms folded loosely against her chest.
The air felt colder now.
Something else was coming.
