In the throne room, the air was suffocatingly tense. A map was placed on top of the emperor's table as Eldric and Conner stood below with the emperor towering over them, and instead of the angry look he had for the past few days, he had a look of disappointment. "A girl who is, what, six or seven years younger than you, has managed to hide right under your noses for the past four days with all your resources," he said, the sneer in his voice very evident.
"What holds me back from dismissing you two and appointing her to your positions when I finally bring her back myself?" he asked as Eldric and Conner stared at their feet as if finding a mound of gold beneath them. "This consort has not only put our heads in danger but also our livelihood," Eldric thought.
