The council chamber was alive with quiet chatter as members made their way in, their robes swishing and boots tapping on the polished stone floor.
Emerald sat quietly in the front row, her gaze darting to Adrien as he walked in and took his usual spot at the high seat. His expression was hard to read, but she could feel the heaviness hanging on his shoulders.
She hadn't had a chance to tell him about what Ares discovered… about Seraphina, the rogue meetings, the hidden connections.
She'd planned to speak with him after the council, once the room wasn't filled with sharp-tongued advisors and power-hungry nobles. But the tension already hanging over the session made her stomach twist.
"Let's begin," Adrien said in a sharp and composed tone.
The meeting began with typical topics: updates about the northern border, a trade agreement that just needed a signature, and a complaint about a patrol captain who was overstepping his bounds.
