"Sometimes the deadliest battles aren't fought with claws, but with words."
The council chamber felt smaller than usual. Or maybe it was just the tension compressing the air until breathing became work.
I sat beside Darius. Both of us cleaned up from yesterday's fight. Bruises hidden under clothes. Pain masked behind neutral expressions. But the exhaustion was harder to hide. We'd barely slept. Spent most of the night preparing for this.
Katheris sat at the head of the council table. Flanked by her supporters. Professor Hale on her right. Marcus Kane's handler—still unidentified—somewhere in the room based on Gianna's intelligence.
The other council members filled the remaining seats. Some I recognized as allies. Most were neutral. A few were openly hostile.
"Thank you for coming," Katheris said. Voice smooth. Controlled. Like she wasn't about to try destroying everything we'd built. "I'm sure you're both tired after yesterday's... demonstration."
