Arthur finally stepped into the throne room.
The vast hall opened up before him, lined with towering marble pillars inlaid with gold and glowing mana-crystals. A crimson carpet stretched from the entrance all the way to the raised dais, where an ornate throne of white stone and gold sat beneath a massive banner bearing the Ashford crest.
Seated upon that throne was Eliana Cael Ashford, Queen of the Ashford Empire.
Even seated, her presence filled the hall. Her magenta hair and violet eyes seemed sharper here, framed by a crown that gleamed under the chandelier light. A quiet, absolute authority radiated from her, like a blade sheathed but ready—calm, but with a weight that made people instinctively want to bow.
Beside the throne stood two of her bodyguards.
