The great hall was packed.
Every noble who could fit had squeezed onto the benches. The gallery above overflowed with servants, merchants, and common citizens who had somehow obtained passes. Torchlight flickered against the stone walls. The air hummed with anticipation.
No one knew why they had been summoned.
Seren stood beside the thrones, flanked by Aeron and Theron. Kael was supposed to be on her other side, but he had disappeared an hour ago. Theron claimed ignorance. Aeron's face was unreadable.
The doors at the far end of the hall swung open.
Kael walked in alone.
He wore his formal armour; polished, dark, unforgiving. His sword hung at his hip. His boots rang against the stone. Behind him, a train of servants carried nothing. He came empty-handed.
The crowd parted.
Kael walked to the centre of the floor and stopped. Then, before the entire court, before the nobles who had fought him and the servants who feared him and the family who loved him, he knelt.
