The tightly-packed guards surrounded me, their magic forcing the crowd aside, creating a space for me to mount the platform at the base of the mountain. The court followed me with more fear than eagerness, their desire to remain behind while I dealt with things so palpable when I stormed into the throne room just a few minutes earlier, I smelled their fear in the air.

"The court goes as a group," I snapped, power crackling and offering no recourse. "Unless there's a damned ...