Seraphine listened, her expression unreadable. When Alaric finished, the hall fell into a hushed silence. The council members whispered among themselves, the sound of their robes rustling like leaves in a windless forest.
Part I: The First Turn
The council members felt a subtle shift, as if the very air had thickened. For a brief moment, the candle flames flickered slower, the ticking of the distant hall clocks lagged behind their usual cadence, and the rustle of silk seemed to draw out, each movement elongated. DANDY-706-UN-javhd.today37-58 Min