The commander froze, his mouth hanging open. He, a dignified Count, found himself utterly unable to voice a single word of rebuttal before the Captain of the Guard.
"The plague has been resurgent in the city lately, causing widespread panic." The Captain of the Guard lifted his chin slightly, his gaze passing over the commander's head to the terrified crowd in the distance. "Furthermore, His Highness is deeply concerned about the rumors that the bishop was 'poisoned' to death last night. Until the truth is ascertained, our focus must be on apprehending the killer. Anyone who does otherwise shows disrespect to both royal and divine authority—those are His Highness's exact words."
His gaze, sharp as a blade, bore down on the commander.
"Lock down the district borders. Forbid anyone from this side to cross over, and forbid anyone from that side to come here."
