I came to a halt before the towering, ornate doors of the Empress's chamber. Taking a deep breath to steady my racing heart, I gave a firm knock. "May I come in, Your Majesty?"
"Come," her voice drifted through the wood—calm, clear, and commanding.
I pushed the doors open and stepped inside, the click of the lock behind me echoing in the quiet room. The Empress was seated at her desk, bathed in the soft afternoon light, her quill moving with practiced grace over a stack of documents. I walked to the front of her desk and waited.
"Sit," she said, not looking up yet. I took the seat opposite her, bracing myself for a verbal interrogation about the Sovereign Dragon, or my sudden travel plans.
"You summoned me, Your Majesty?" I asked, my voice polite and level.
