Old Svenja's words swept away the growing tension between Nyrielle and Ritchel like a bucket of ice water thrown on the floor. The entire council turned to stare at little lord Hauke, curious about what Old Svenja sensed in him.
"Old Svenja," Hauke said slowly, uncertain how he should speak of what happened. "I…"
"Stop," his father interrupted. "Old Svenja, I will accept your wisdom. Lady Nyrielle, do with these traitors as you please. So long as their horns never reach our ancestral caves, I no longer care."
"Wise indeed," Nyrielle said, leaning back on her icy throne with a slight nod of approval to the old woman.
"Everyone else, leave this place," Ritchel commanded. "Matters of the ancestors should not be spoken of lightly."
"My Lord," Commander Jannik said, standing and giving a salute to Ritchel. "I still have questions for Paulus. We don't know why he betrayed us or…."
