Evangeline walked out into the corridor, the atmosphere between her and Silver burning with a suffocating, unspoken tension. She maintained a sharp, unyielding pace, her boots clicking coldly against the polished marble, while Silver intentionally lagged several paces behind. The distance between them was not merely physical; it was a deliberate, stark divide that echoed through the quiet hallway for any onlooker to see.
She reached the grand, double doors of the council chamber. Pausing for a fraction of a second to smooth the heavy velvet of her sleeves, she pushed them open and stepped into the room.
