By noon the Council Hall had become noticeably warmer as sunlight poured through towering stained-glass windows and painted shifting colors across the ancient marble floor, yet the beauty of the chamber failed to soften the tension gathering beneath its vaulted ceiling because every Elder present understood that today's discussion extended far beyond politics. What stood before them was not merely a question of leadership. It was a question of loyalty. It was a question of fear.
Elara entered beside Alessandro without hesitation while dozens of eyes immediately followed her movement across the chamber, and although nobody spoke openly, she recognized the silent judgment hidden behind many expressions because she had seen similar looks before. San Diego flashed briefly through her memory. The frightened faces. The collapsing streets. The impossible choices.
