The meeting ended without further escalation, but the weight of everything that had been said lingered heavily in the chamber as King Highmoor rose from his seat. The Empress followed shortly after, her expression composed, her thoughts unreadable, though it was clear from the silence she maintained that she believed the message had been delivered exactly as intended. Lucas and the others moved with them, their departure orderly and without unnecessary delay, leaving behind a room that was no longer divided by noise, but by doubt.
The King of Blackmare did not attempt to stop them.
He remained seated, his gaze distant, his mind clearly occupied with the implications of what had just transpired. His chiefs, once loud and certain, were now subdued, each lost in their own thoughts, while the queen watched quietly, her eyes lingering on the departing figures as though measuring the truth behind their warnings.
