360 Inevitable

ELRETH

When things had settled down and the elders' attention returned to Elreth, she still waited.

Lhern's lips twisted, and Huncer's face was tight with disapproval, but Elreth had no question about her plan. She would not let them make her quaver.

"If you will give me a moment," she said quietly when most of them had stopped talking, "I will explain to you what I see and why it's necessary for me to travel."

"But—"

Elreth shot a look at Jayah—one of the eldest in the room, who rarely spoke up. She was close to Elreth's parents, but also a healer and often missed the meetings because she was called to help the people. Yet she'd made it that morning and she, who had missed so much of what had happened to this point, was the one who wanted to challenge Elreth directly?