Seraphiel left after slipping the coin in his hand into his pocket.
Armand left without looking at anyone.
One by one, the Council Chamber emptied, until only two people remained inside.
Eldric and Elowen.
For a while, neither of them spoke. The obsidian chamber held the quiet with the same weight it held every decree, every sentence, every decision that had passed through it over the years.
Elowen broke the silence first, looking at Eldric with a calmer expression than the one she had worn during the meeting.
"You did better than I expected, honestly," she said. "I thought the pressure might get to you, but you handled them better than most commanders would have."
Eldric's posture eased a little now that only Elowen remained with him. His voice carried less formality, more confidence.
