The suffocating despair in the royal guest chamber didn't last much longer before King Alderon officially called a halt to the panic. With the High Priest declaring a complete dead end, the atmosphere had mutated from frantic desperation into a cold, heavy political dread.
Since Princess Iryna's magical preservation was predicted to hold her system stable for at least a few hours, the King issued a mandatory lockdown. Every guest, noble, and foreign delegate was ordered back to their designated quarters under heavy imperial guard while the crown council drafted an emergency diplomatic dispatch to the Solaric Empire.
Escorted by a silent perimeter of armored knights, Cherion and Zarius made their way through the echoing corridors of the palace. They weren't taken to the standard guest wings this time. Instead, the guards led them straight to the old bedroom Cherion had occupied during his stay at the capital.
