When the First Elder called for the vote, fully expecting the majority of the Council to fall in line, especially after how brutally he had exposed the misdeeds of the Second and Fourth Elders, what he did not anticipate was that only five hands would rise to support his proposal.
A quiet gasp passed through the chamber, carried by the silence that followed the tally, as he slowly turned his gaze toward the elders seated around him, registering the raised hands of the Third, Fifth, Eighth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Elders…..
Which when included with his own, brought the total tally supporting Leo's nomination as Dragon to six.
Just one short of the seven required for majority.
And in that instant, the expression beneath his mask, calculated and steady up until now, visibly cracked.
The remaining six elders, whose hands had stayed motionless, avoided his gaze.
