Thalvyr lifted a hand and waved it once. The look on his face made it clear—he already knew exactly what Voruun was about to say.
He walked over and crouched in front of Voruun, a pure white pearl resting in his palm. Its surface was flawlessly smooth, not a single impurity in it, and in the dim palace it gave off a quiet, steady glow.
Thalvyr brought the pearl up to Voruun's eyes.
"Want it? Eat this and you'll gain a miraculous power. Eat it… and you'll be able to take revenge."
Voruun lay slack on the floor. You couldn't read much from his face, but his tentacles wriggled in quick, messy bursts. The tips—still weak—kept lifting, then dropping again, trembling with excitement.
"Really? I… I can really have it? Your Majesty…"
He didn't even finish the sentence.
The white pearl left Thalvyr's palm and slid straight into Voruun's body.
Thalvyr gave him a satisfied look, then stood, clasped his hands behind his back, and turned toward the throne.
