The doors opened to the Golden Court, and Liam walked into the largest ceremony he had ever seen.
The western side of the imperial palace stood completely open to the sky. What had once seemed like the outer wall of the court had withdrawn into the adjoining towers, turning the entire ceremonial hall into a vast terrace suspended above Deira. Tiered galleries spread in long arcs to either side, filled with nobles, officials, military houses, provincial representatives, and the ancient families of Nuria. Gold and white banners descended between pale stone columns. Ether burned in scripted lines beneath the floors, through the rails, and across the high arches overhead until the whole court seemed alive with light.
