A heavy silence fell over the room. Galen, Lyard, and Zelor froze, their faces fixed in masks of disbelief and horror. The room, once peaceful and quiet, was now filled with palpable tension.
Almera remained impassive, her face betraying no emotion. She handed the missive to Galen, her piercing black eyes fixed on him. "Read," she ordered in a cold, sharp voice.
Galen took the trembling parchment, his fingers eagerly scanning the written lines. His face contorted with anger.
"This is impossible!" he exclaimed, handing the parchment to Lyard. "The golden chains are indestructible! There must be a mistake, a grave mistake!"
He cast a desperate look at Almera, seeking an explanation.
Almera did not flinch. "There is no mistake, Galen. Lady Mervyl herself wrote this letter. And for your information, Damaris has repeatedly broken the golden chains in front of me."
Lyard took the parchment and read it in turn. He then nodded gravely. "There has been a betrayal," he affirmed. "Someone helped Damaris Zahad escape."
Almera raised her hand, calming the agitation of her husbands. "There is no point in speculating for now," she said in a calm but firm voice. "Our priority is to understand what happened and to take measures to find her."
She turned to Zelor, whose eyes were still lost in his visions. "Zelor," she said, "can you tell us what you see?"
Zelor remained silent for a long moment, his eyes closed, his brows furrowed in concentration. Then, he opened his eyes, his gaze dark and troubled.
"I see mists," he said in a grave voice. "Thick and impenetrable mists that obscure everything."
"Is there anything else?" Almera asked, her voice urgent.
Zelor shook his head. "No," he said. "I see only mists."
Almera sighed, her frustration palpable.
Galen stepped forward abruptly, his fists clenched. "Allow me, mistress, I will gather resources," he said. "We will search every corner of Ayeros and find her."
Lyard stopped him with a gesture. "Wait," he said. "Lady Mervyln is calling for an emergency council. It's very likely she has additional information to share. Acting immediately could be a waste of effort."
Galen gritted his teeth but nodded, understanding the wisdom in Lyard's words. "Very well," he said tensely.
Almera, regaining her composure, turned to her husbands. "In any case, we must prepare. If Damaris Zahad has truly escaped our golden chains, she poses a serious threat." She cast an intense gaze at each of them. "We must be ready for any eventuality."
Lyard nodded, his expression becoming more determined.
Zelor nodded as well. "I will try to penetrate these mists. Maybe there's something I haven't seen yet."
A new light shone in Almera's black eyes. A strange, almost triumphant smile appeared on her lips. She savored the thought of what lay ahead. The idea of hunting down Damaris Zahad, finding her, and settling the score personally gave her a thrill she hadn't felt in a long time.
"You know," she said softly, her smile widening, "I feared the coming years would be boring." She gave her husbands a knowing look. "But now, we have a real challenge. A traitor to hunt down. And not just any traitor, but Damaris Zahad herself."
Galen, surprised by Almera's change in attitude, looked at her with renewed curiosity. "You are... pleased with this situation, mistress?"
Almera laughed, a crystalline sound that echoed in the room. "Pleased? Perhaps not the exact word, but let's say I see an opportunity here. Dying at the hands of executioners is not a satisfying death for Damaris. She is the only one I feel pure hatred for. The only one my hands desire to strangle." She turned to Zelor and Lyard, her gaze burning with determination. "The heavens are giving me the chance to fulfill my desire. Shouldn't I rejoice?"
Lyard smiled, fully understanding how Almera felt. "Then we will do whatever it takes to make your desire come true. We are your arms, mistress."
Almera nodded, satisfied.
"Very well," she said finally. "I will go see what Lady Mervyln has to tell us."
Almera left the bathroom in silence, her husbands by her side. As they walked through the richly decorated corridors, the men's footsteps echoed softly on the marble, a soothing contrast to the tumultuous thoughts running through the matron's mind.
Arriving in her private chambers, her husbands began to dress her with care. Galen handed her a black silk dress adorned with silver embroidery, an outfit befitting her stature and power. Lyard brought her obsidian and gold jewelry, while Zelor arranged her delicate hair, still damp from the recent ablutions.
The three men busied themselves around her with their usual precision and reverence. Almera, her eyes fixed on an invisible point in front of her, did not move. Her thoughts were entirely focused on what was to come.
"Mistress," said Galen, once their task was complete, "we are finished."
Almera simply nodded. Without another word, she left the room, her husbands following in silence, exiting the main building of the House of Yseris until they reached the entrance to its northern tower. There, she stopped.
"I continue alone," she ordered firmly.
The three men bowed respectfully and watched her ascend the spiral staircase of the tower. Almera climbed, her heart beating in time with her quick steps.
At the top of the tower, she found a large circular room, bathed in a strange, ethereal glow.
Women with covered faces stood around a large luminescent circle etched into the floor. Their dark robes floated gently, creating a striking contrast with the bright light of the circle. Seeing Almera enter, they bowed deeply, their movements perfectly synchronized.
Without hesitation, Almera advanced to the center of the circle. The women's murmurs surrounded her, an incantatory melody that seemed to amplify the power of the luminescent circle. She positioned herself in the center, standing tall and imposing, her black eyes shining with fierce determination.
"Royal Palace," she ordered sharply.
The women with covered faces intensified their murmurs, their voices blending into a strange and enchanting harmony. The circle of light around Almera began to pulse, each pulse resonating in the very air. The energy emanating from the circle became almost tangible, enveloping Almera in a brilliant halo.
She closed her eyes.
"Damaris… let's play a little longer, you and I."