Back at Zipfara's Palace:

Dead silence still reined in the inner courts of the palace. It seemed that Zipfara's words had casted a dumb spell on the occupants of the room. The aged man with white long beards opened his mouth, and then closed it, at a loss of what to say.

Emma's right eyebrow was raised as she stared at Zipfarah. 'What the hell was the queen talking about?' She thought, aware of the stunned silence in the room. She tried reading the queen's mind but was met with a ...