The silence stretched.
Heavy.
Unbearable.
I sat rigidly in the chair opposite him, my hands clenched so tightly in my lap that my fingers hurt.
Draven said nothing.
Neither did I.
The council chamber felt impossibly large now.
Too empty.
Too quiet.
Only the two of us remained.
At last, Draven spoke.
"Why?"
The single word caught me off guard.
I blinked.
My throat tightened.
"...What?"
His gaze remained fixed on me.
Steady.
Unmoving.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
I froze.
For a moment, I genuinely thought I had misheard him.
Out of everything that had happened.
Out of every accusation.
Every lie.
Every piece of evidence thrown onto that table—
That was his question?
Not Did you do it?
Not Why would you betray me?
Not Is it true?
Just—
Why didn't you tell me?
My lips parted.
No words came out.
Draven leaned back slightly.
His eyes never left mine.
"Didn't you trust me enough to tell me?"
The question landed harder than any accusation could have.
