"It wasn't because you gracefully gave me anything!" Silverlining's body began to tremble—not from the pressure of the Elders' power, but from the sheer volume of fury he had held back for far too long.
"Every promotion, every scrap of influence I earned, was thanks to what Hye did for this race! It was his genius, his strength, and my efforts to bridge the gap—efforts that you all have systematically blown away because of your pride!"
"Arrest him!" the Head Elder bellowed.
The patience of the High Council was legendary for its thinness, and Silverlining had finally snapped it. He knew the consequences. The last time he had dared to advocate for Hye's autonomy, he had ended up in a deep-sector prison, facing a death sentence that only Hye's direct intervention had prevented. Now, he was back at the doorstep of the abyss.
