"This minister will then take his leave, Your Majesty," Varric said finally, his tone restrained but heavy with reluctance. Still, he bowed deeply, before turning as if to obey Zevryn's command.
But before he could even take a single step toward the exit, the grand hall doors burst open with a loud creak, echoing through the vast chamber. A guard stumbled inside, breathless and wild-eyed.
"Impudent!" barked the head of the imperial guards, his voice cracking through the tension like a whip. He stepped forward sharply, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword. "How dare you enter the palace in such a state? Is this how an imperial guard should behave before His Majesty?"
