Thales sat in his chair, but his body did not feel like his own.
He realized, in that moment, that he was face to face with the king alone at the Imperial Conference.
He could not pretend to be deaf nor stick his head in the sand.
"This morning, when reports about the war in the north arrived, involving Dragon Clouds City…"
King Kessel's voice rang out in the narrow room. It lacked the echoes and sense of spaciousness as it did in the meeting hall.
But made one feel more uneasy.
"Gilbert insisted that his student sit in, claiming it would be a 'practical lesson' for the prince.
"He wasn't that anxious even when he was trying to make excuses for your farcical actions last night."
Thales thought about Gilbert, and felt a surge of both gratitude and sorrow.
