Dican sat in a ridiculously fancy room near the top of one of Ciren'thal's gleaming towers. The walls shimmered with crystal-laced stone that seemed to hum with some kind of energy, and the ceiling arched high above, painted with flowing star patterns that actually moved. It was stunning—no doubt about it—but Dican just sat there on the edge of the silky bed, staring blankly out the huge window, feeling absolutely nothing.
The view should've been mind-blowing. Gia's twin suns hung low in the sky, soaking the city in glowing shades of amber and pink. Ciren'thal spread out below, skywalks threading like silver wires between floating towers, with gardens blooming on platforms that hovered in midair. From this height, the city looked like someone had cracked open a jewelry box and spilled it across the horizon. A breeze brushed against the tower's invisible barrier, making the massive transparent leaves growing along the side ripple gently.
Dican barely saw any of it.
