The Elder's accusation caused a shocked silence within the hall. He had not only accused the Matriarch's apprentice of murder, but had also claimed the Matriarch had lied about the attack.
That was more than just a threat to an apprentice; it was a direct challenge to the Matriarch's power. And even if the Matriarch's position was weak, the startled looks on the other Elders' faces made it clear that such open disrespect was still unexpected.
Yet rather than attacking the man for his insolence, the Matriarch merely gave him a frustrated stare. "Elder Heran, what right do you have to make such claims?"
"Lady Matriarch," the Elder replied, somehow managing to make the title sound like an insult, "what other explanation could there be? Had my students wished to kill this apprentice of yours — this initiate — they would have turned him to ashes in an instant. Yet here he stands, alive and unharmed."
