The banquet hall of the Celestial Palace was a breathtaking spectacle. Massive crystal chandeliers hung from the arched ceiling, casting a warm, inviting glow across the room. The long table, adorned with silken cloths and laden with delicacies from across the Violet Mist World, was flanked by chairs carved from luminescent stone. Courtiers and dignitaries filled the room, their opulent attire rivaling the magnificence of the hall itself. It was a display of wealth and power designed to awe, but Lirael saw it for what it truly was—a show meant to impress and control.
As Lirael entered, all eyes turned to her. Whispers rippled through the hall, subtle but unmistakable. She felt their gazes appraising her, not just as a foreign queen but as a potential ally—or threat. Elyara rose from her seat at the head of the table, her radiant smile commanding the attention of the room.
