#Chapter 145: The Council Turns

Amelia I had never worn these heels in the council chamber before. My steps echoed differently in them, sharper than boots, more deliberate than bare feet. They weren't practical, but nothing about this day was. The chamber was full, humming with tension that coated every surface like oil. Every seat was taken, and the overflow had been funneled into side halls where live feeds broadcast the proceedings. Some people stood with arms folded, others scribbled notes or whispered into recorders. The air buzzed with anticipation, like a trial was about to begin. Because it was. A motion for Richard’s suspension had been circulating for days. Whispers had turned into hallway rumors, rumors into scribbled notes passed in folded hands, and those notes became official petitions. The Hollow attacks, the disappearances, and Richard's retreat during the rut had fractured the foundation he had once ruled from. Trust had eroded, and no amount of ceremony or honorifics could cement it back t