The silence that followed was not the silence of a room processing information.
It was the silence of a room that had heard something it had not expected to hear and needed a second to confirm it had heard correctly.
Davan did not change expression.
But something in his eyes changed.
Two of the Inquisitors on the left flank exchanged a glance.
The level‑82 on Agustín's right stopped writing.
They did not show it with words. Not in this room, not in front of Agustín, not with the twelve present and the administrative wing report still on the table.
Davan looked at Agustín.
"An execution."
"A public execution," said Agustín. "Documented. Broadcast to the guilds, to the institutions, to the governments of the seven territories that have spent years asking whether the Temple's position on the Fragments is politics or evidence." A pause. "This is evidence."
---
Cael spoke.
