.The tension in the air was palpable as Esteria's breaths came out in shallow gasps. The weight of the council's accusations had taken its toll, and it wasn't until El-Kharis gently led her outside that she realized how stifling the chamber had become. She allowed herself to be guided, her hand firmly clasped in his as they exited the grand room and stepped into the open air.
Lilith's sharp voice trailed after them, "Do not go far," but neither of them replied. They both needed space, a reprieve from the judgment that filled the council room. El-Kharis didn't stop until they reached a secluded spot under a towering tree just outside the palace walls, where the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze offered a kind of calm.
"Breathe," El-Kharis said softly, his voice laced with concern as he watched her struggle to regain control.
