Chapter 383. Forgiveness Isn’t Power

None of them answered and Ann took the opportunity to seize the silence.

“You accuse me of sowing chaos, but you were doing this decades ago. You claim my compassion will drown us, but what you fear is that my truth will reveal your cowardice. You speak of strategy, of loyalty, of strength,but it was your bargains in the dark that risked this kingdom, not mine.”

The weight of her words pressed into every corner of the chamber and she could see the pride in Bartholomew’s eyes before he dropped them to the table.

“Those were compromises. They preserved balance. They…” One of the elders barked suddenly, desperate but Ann cut him off.

“They were lies,” Ann snapped. “You decided which lives to save and which to discard. You picked winners and losers in secret, then stood in public and preached about purity. And you wonder why loyalty falters now?”

“They were different times!” One protested.

“No.” Ann’s voice rose, “They were the same times. You knew th