I almost felt guilty as I stepped into the main hall, imagining the delicate nacre tiles beneath my boots, groaning under the weight of my tread. The hall was vast, echoing with murmurs and whispers that died the moment I entered. A hush fell over the court like a light funeral shroud, leaving only the sound of the tinkling water of the hall. My master-crafted armor spoke with powerful words of my station and quality.
The entire court had been summoned, and the air was thick with tension. Aelayah sat on her high seat, cool and composed, though there was a glint in her eye that suggested fury simmering beneath the surface. She recounted the events of the day with an almost casual detachment, but the gravity of her words was undeniable. Feathers were ruffled, meaningful glances exchanged like cheap blows. One by one, the courtiers came forward, professing their loyalty, swearing ignorance or innocence. It made no difference whether they were liars or fools. Their failure, whether born of incompetence or treachery, stank all the same.
My eyes roamed the hall, and I saw Vincenzio standing to the side, his sallow face tight with urgency. His gaze met mine, and in it, I read a thousand unspoken words. He wanted to speak with me, needed to, perhaps, but the press of bodies and the formality of the moment kept us apart. Later, I told myself. There would be a time for words, but now was not it.
Yousef stood beside Aelayah, her ever-faithful seneschal. He looked like an old tree, gnarled and twisted, clinging to life long after it should have withered. A weed that refused to die, even when its roots had long since rotted.
His face was a mask of calm, unmoved by the tensions in the hall. It was the kind of stillness that came from years of serving. But there was something else in his demeanor, something that I could see was… wrong.
"Farzan," Aelayah drawled, her voice soft but commanding, a loose strand of hair curling around her finger. There was a trace of amusement in her tone, as if she enjoyed the tension, the uncertainty. "What should be done to the man, or men, who betrayed me today?"
Captain Farzan answered without hesitation, his voice sharp and full of fire. "By the ancient laws and customs of Salahaem, a slow and painful death of the Lady's choosing."
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Aelayah smiled at that, a cold, satisfied smile. "I find myself inclined to agree, Captain." She turned her gaze to Yousef, who stood as still as a stone. "And you, Yousef? What do you think would be a suitable punishment?"
“My Lady, do we live in ancient times? I would counsel restraint,” Yousef said smoothly, his voice steady and firm. “Those arraigned against you are wily in their designs. We have become a more civilized people. We do not know if this was an intentional betrayal. It is possible that one of your guards, perhaps even your late Shadow, was tricked into revealing certain information.”
Aelayah’s eyes narrowed to slits, the cold gaze of a woman who had heard enough lies to recognize one by its scent. “Yousef, I have long known of your dealings in Alim, and your… friendships with the other Holder Houses.”
The seneschal cleared his throat, a slight cough to regain composure. “My Lady, such connections are necessary for a man in my position to maintain peace and ensure—”
“Oh, I have no doubt,” Aelayah interrupted, her voice sharp as a drawn blade. “And the lavish exchange of gifts? A necessity, too, I suppose? Once, you might have convinced me of such things. But I am no longer the na?ve girl you take me for.”
“I must protest, my Lady,” Yousef began, his calm demeanor fraying at the edges. “I have served House Salahaem faithfully for—”
“I am sure you have,” Aelayah cut him off again, her voice like winter wind. “You’ve likely arranged for someone from a minor branch to replace me by now. You serve the Salahaem, Yousef, but you do not serve me.”
The seneschal’s mask finally cracked, his calm composure shattering like glass. “Your presence here puts us all in danger!” he snapped, his voice rising with foolish pride. “I did what I had to—for House Salahaem!”
“You betrayed this House,” Aelayah hissed, her voice dripping with venom. “What was your price, Yousef? Tell me—what did they offer you?”
“The path to peace,” Yousef spat, his voice trembling with desperation. “When you would lead us to war!” His eyes darted to the nobles gathered around, seeking allies among them. “You all know it! Look! She even takes a foreign monster into her service! The girl is leading us to ruin, to the doom of Salahaem!”
"I am Salahaem!" she thundered, her slight frame dwarfed by the sheer power of her voice. "Yes, I will lead us down a path of doom—but not our doom. It will be the doom of those unenlightened fools who see Al-Lazar as nothing more than a wasteland of Dust! Fools who drive us into perpetual war, cutting off our trade across the seas! I will tear them all from this city!" She rose from her throne like a gathering storm, her voice crashing through the hall.
