The room fell silent as Damien's head snapped up, locking his glare onto Nolan. He slammed his fists onto the table and rose to his full height. The force was so strong, it caused the spotlights that shone down on them to flicker. "Watch your tongue, Nolan. I am still the ruler of this world, and I can have you dealt with if you continue to disrespect me."
Nolan, unshaken, pushed his chair back and stood up, spreading his arms and urging Damien to bring it on. "Are you threatening me, Damien?"
Before the tension could escalate further, Argilia rose gracefully, followed closely by Petrov. Julian, however, shrank deeper into his chair.
"Enough," she said sternly, her eyes darting between the two men. "Calm yourself. This is a council, not a battlefield."
She then turned her gaze to Damien. "And again, you should remember that your time as ruler is almost over. In less than ten months, you will step down, whether you like it or not."
