That night, Thane summoned a small group of people to a late dinner in Nyrielle's formal dining room. It was a meeting he could just as easily have held in his office in the tower, but at the moment, part of him craved the steadying reminders of Nyrielle's presence that this room offered.
Whether it was the soft lavender wall hangings in her mother's favorite shade or the exquisitely detailed landscape paintings created by Nyrielle's own hand, it was impossible to sit in the formal dining room deep underground without feeling like you were in the presence of the Eldritch Lady of the Vale, even if she wasn't here.
The high-backed seat at the head of the table stood empty, which was normal for an occasion where Nyrielle wasn't present. What had changed, however, was that Thane no longer occupied the seat reserved for Nyrielle's second. That seat now belonged to Ashlynn, and even in her absence, Thane refused to intrude.
