Outside, the northern wind howled low, as if in mourning.
And inside that chamber, Liv lay with her fragile human body, carrying a life far too great,while Jay sat at her side,
realizing that for the first time in his life, the strength of Zelthar was not enough to protect the one thing he truly loved.
The Grand Council Chamber was wrapped in suffocating silence as the meeting was finally called to order.
The tall doors of black wood were sealed shut. The imperial crest carved into the stone walls seemed to watch every word that would be spoken within those confines. At the central seat sat the Grand Duke, his expression hard and unreadable. Around him, the members of the noble council, those who held the fate of the empire in their hands, sat with straight backs and wary eyes.
On the opposite side of the hall, several High Mages stood in a half circle. Their dark robes brushed the floor, ancient symbols glimmering faintly beneath the glow of magic crystals.
