Sidia fought a wave of nausea as they made their way to the throne room. Everyone was unbearably quiet, and the anxiety made Sidia practically itch. She had no idea what she was walking into, and it was more than obvious that Catarina wasn’t allowed to give her any details.

Eventually, they crossed under one of the archways, and the cavernous throne greeted them. Instead of decorations, soft lighting, and music as it was for the feast, a huge crowd surrounded the throne. The ...