Chapter 14 Not So Unprecedented

• Maerilee
• The throne room is heavy with anticipation as we all sit before the council, the weight of the situation pressing down on me like a ton of bricks. My mother is seated beside me, her expression calm and composed, though I know her well enough to see the worry etched in the tightness around her eyes. My father has joined us, sitting on her other side and completely clueless as to why the meeting has been called. Across from us, River and his parents are seated with an air of restrained authority. Brook, as usual, trails silently along with them, his presence almost forgotten in the midst of everything. Next to me sits Akin, a steady presence in the whirlwind of uncertainty that surrounds us.
• The council members are gathered around the long table in the center of the room, their robes of office billowing slightly as they shift in their seats. There’s a murmur of conversation as they glance between one another, clearly unsure of how to proceed with the situation we’ve presented them.