"You waited because you thought everything would be fine, right?" Javier said, his eyes steely and his voice unyielding.
"Y… yes…" Thilan murmured, his eyes dropping to the ground. The crowd and soldiers finally breathed again as Javier's crushing gravity eased.
"And now look where you are."
"I… I tried to persuade the people… but some...some wouldn't listen…" Thilan's voice faded, shame clear on his face.
Javier's gaze swept the square as more townspeople crept from their hiding places, faces wary and angry. From among them rose the old, bitter faction, the ones who'd always hated Armand.
"We don't need Armand here! Go back to your region!"
"Yeah! We don't need outsiders ruling our land!"
"Just go back! We can protect our town!"
Javier inhaled deeply, his eyes narrowing, and let his anger show. His voice boomed, sharp as a blade.
