LILY'S head turned toward the exit. Drawn by the light outside, she slowly made her way out of the palace.
The difference between the ceremonial hall and the palace grounds was immediate. The screams were no longer concentrated inside one building but scattered throughout the capital, mixing with distant roars and the sounds of destruction.
The festive atmosphere from earlier that morning had completely disappeared. Decorations prepared for the wedding still hung throughout the palace grounds, but many had been torn down or stained during the attack. Red silk fluttered from damaged railings, and broken lanterns lay scattered across the stone paths.
Her lips pursed when she saw the mutilated bodies scattered across the grounds. Blood stained the stone paths and steps, while broken weapons and pieces of clothing lay among the bodies left behind by the attack.
