Thane had expected to be taken by the guards, put into manacles and locked into the deepest cell available at the Hold. Instead, Arcturus dismissed everyone in the chamber and invited him to take a seat.

Thane refused, informing Arcturus he’d prefer to stand.

Arcturus dismissed his stubbornness with a wave of his hand and picked up a remote and with a press of a button, lowered a large white screen over the decorated walls.

The lights around them dimmed and ...