Chapter 25 - Sisters and Schemes

The grand Imperial Hall glimmered with opulence, its marble pillars reaching toward an intricately painted ceiling that told stories of valor and glory. The air was thick with silk and perfume, each noble dressed in fineries that shone under the brilliant chandeliers, a stark reminder of the intricate game they were all players in. Whispers coiled among the gathered dignitaries like smoke, the atmosphere vibrating with the weight of ambition and expectation.