Selene inclined her head in a quiet nod. Her white robe brushed softly against the polished floor as she moved with measured calm to her place. Elenya followed closely at her side, settling beside her, shoulders stiff with restless energy.
Velmira's jaw tightened, her lips pressed into a hard line. She obeyed, but every step was rigid, her pride bleeding into the stiff set of her shoulders as she lowered herself into her seat.
The air thickened once more. The crowd's anticipation shifted like a current, flowing now toward the bound Huntress. What had been a battle for a throne had turned into something heavier, darker.
The Arbiter straightened, her presence towering though she had never moved. Her pale eyes swept the tiers, stilling even the faintest whispers.
