A few days had passed since the failed Awakening Ceremony, but the unease in Baltalaha only deepened. The rulers continued to gather in Crimson's palace, their discussions yielding little progress. Every plan seemed inadequate in the face of a phenomenon no one could explain.
Medas insisted on bringing Morvane along to each meeting, reasoning that the young man's unique perspective might prove valuable—or, at the very least, Morvane could learn from observing the political maneuverings of the rulers.
On one such day, as they traveled by carriage through the winding roads leading to Katakwan, the air was unusually still. The rhythmic clatter of the horse's hooves on cobblestone was the only sound, and even that seemed muted, as if the world itself held its breath.
