As the meeting continued and the topic of rebuilding and strengthening our defenses came to a close, I could sense a shift in the room. There was another matter that needed to be addressed, one that had been lingering in the back of my mind since the battle with the barbarians. The treasure we had recovered was a boon for Eldoria, no doubt, but there were troubling questions about how the barbarians had managed to launch such a coordinated attack on our borders in the first place. And more importantly, why we had received no help from some of the most powerful nobles in the kingdom—two dukes who had remained conspicuously silent throughout the conflict.
I leaned forward, resting my hands on the table. The hall grew quiet as everyone sensed the gravity of what was coming next.
