“But we haven’t come to a conclusion yet,” said Crevan, holding a hand up to draw attention. “We need to see all the possibilities.”
Shorack nodded. “Just making my feelings known. Any of you can do the same. But, yes, we need to understand possibilities.” He brought his arms out wide. “So talk.”
And the group descended into discussion. Leopold followed what he could, with Derras and Byrnia often leaning in to explain finer points that escaped him. He scrolled through information on Byrnia’s screen, studying maps and plans, as well as skimming through pages of data.
But he still took the opportunity to watch the room and read the temperature, especially the coldness emanating from Shorack. He was a reluctant participant in this, and Leopold felt his deliberate step back to be a mistake.
