The royal chambers were bathed in the dim glow of enchanted lanterns.
Their soft golden light casting long shadows across the marble floor and tall bookshelves.
The flickering flames danced quietly behind crystal glass. Doing little to chase away the heavy silence that filled the room like smoke.
King Sylas D'Argent sat in his tall. High-backed chair behind a wide desk carved from dark oak.
Papers and scrolls were scattered across its surface. Though most had been pushed aside.
A few reports still lay in front of him. Stained with ink and marked with red wax seals.
He stared at them. But the words didn't register anymore.
—
Casualties: 4,872
Survivors: 3
Princess Eleanora D'Argent – condition stable
—
His jaw clenched tight.
A sharp snap echoed in the quiet as the quill in his hand broke in two.
Thick, dark ink spilled onto the parchment. Spreading like blood over the names and numbers.
He didn't flinch. Didn't even seem to notice. His mind was somewhere else.
