A door swung open with a soft creak. Tobin stepped inside, her pale face contrasting sharply with the dim room. Her hands trembled visibly as she moved forward.
Each step seemed to weigh heavily on her, as if her legs were made of lead. When she finally turned to face the room, her eyes were wide and glittering with barely contained terror, darting nervously around. She avoided eye contact, refusing to look at Dominic or Harwick, instead fixating on the cold, stained floor beneath her.
"Miss Varn," the serpent coiled, voice smooth but edged with anticipation, "you've been called to testify about the tenth-floor expedition. Please tell the Tribunal what you witnessed."
Tobin opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again, her mouth trembling. Her breathing grew faster, shallow.
"Take your time," the serpent soothed, voice almost gentle, "the truth can be difficult."
