The great hall of Athax had been prepared with care that bordered on excess.
Light spilled from high chandeliers, each flame reflected in polished stone and glass, casting a warm glow across the gathered court. Long tables had been arranged in tiers, laden with food and drink drawn from both the South and beyond—rich meats, delicate pastries, fruits preserved in honey and wine. Musicians lined the far end of the hall, their instruments weaving a steady undercurrent of sound beneath the voices of nobility.
It was not celebration alone.
It was display.
House Valmird received its own.
And tonight—
House Aro stood beside it.
