Malick laughed again and all eyes turned to him in surprise. Eileifr half rose from his chair. "Malick, is this true?"
He made a dismissive gesture with his hand. "What do you think?"
Celandine looked from Jorick to his Master. "That is not an answer."
Malick stood and turned to face the unsettled High Council. "Am I beholden to you? Am I beneath you that you would question me?"
"The councils were created for a reason," Celandine argued. "You do not have supreme rule."
"And who will follow those words with action?" Malick turned to face the rest of his captivated audience. "Is there one among you who can overpower me?" He turned back to the council members. "One of you perhaps? Eileifr? Obi? Heng?" Nobody moved. "As I thought, there is no one."
He resumed his seat and looked back t
