The hall was filled with murmurs and whispers. It was the first council meeting since the disaster that happened on the mating ceremony day. The king had completely closed himself off, and none of them could get through to him. They were all stuck with an overworked beta.
Finally, the king agreed to their summons. And now, they were all seated in the hall, nervous and anticipating.
The doors to the hall groaned open, the king stepped into the hall, and the murmurs stopped instantly. The place went dead with silence, all of their eyes on the man they called their ruler.
But this was not the king they remembered.
He looked like a cursed man. His eyes were bloodshot, like someone who had not slept for days… or weeks. His beard was wild and unkempt, his hair was rough like he had run his fingers over it countless times. His aura was grim and dark, not a single light behind those eyes.
