Nwadiebube didn't blink.
"Then I'll face them as I did before. Knowing I did not act for pride alone… but for the fire of something greater than fear."
He turned back to the window, his reflection barely visible in the glass—just a silhouette framed by starlight and the long shadow of consequences.
"Either way," she said at last, "the throne seems to suit you better when you wear it with silence."
Then she stepped away, her robe whispering behind her as she moved toward the door. But before she exited, she paused one last time.
"I'll keep watching them, and I'll find ways to keep the envoys entertained. But promise me one thing."
Nwadiebube tilted his head.
"Don't play this game so well you forget who you are."
And with that, she disappeared into the hall, leaving Nwadiebube once more in the quiet company of the stars and his own thoughts.
