A week had passed since the confrontation in my chamber, and the weight of silence hung heavily upon me. Each attempt to approach the training center was met with the same result: an invisible force repelling me, as if the very air sought to deny my entry. Leora's steadfast refusal to see me only added to the chasm that seemed to widen with each passing day.
The council room was filled with the low murmur of conversation I was seated, annoyed and not listenning my expression unreadable. The high-backed chairs were occupied by figures of authority, their attention momentarily diverted by my presence. I was taking the seat at the head of the table, my mind adrift in a sea of thoughts that had nothing to do with the matters at hand.
