Silence.
Finley had abruptly stood and slammed her fists down on the table so hard that there was a crack, and it was impossible to tell whether it was the table that cracked, or her bones. Her face was a mask of fury that scared Abrial; she'd never seen Finley fuming like this before.
"No. We cannot use this path. There are other, better paths. And I will not allow Abrial's life to be sacrificed as a tool to stop the Emperor."
More silence.
Everyone seemed to have been shocked by Finley's rage.
At last, Fei Shen cleared his throat and spoke, stammering at first, then getting more confident.
"First off, I…I never said this heartstone carrying kid needs to die. We could just take out her heartstone and use it! And second of all, even if it did cost her life, what's that to you? Is one person's life more important to you, you Great, Mighty Divine Healer, than the lives of millions that were snuffed out at the Emperor's hands?!"
