The Red House Advisors Meeting convened with unusual urgency, called together barely three days after the Fanged Serpent's destruction. The atmosphere in the chamber was noticeably different from their last gathering—tension had been replaced by cautious optimism, fear by curiosity about rapidly changing circumstances.
Lady Z sat at the head of the table, her expression carrying satisfaction that she didn't bother concealing. The other Advisors filed in, their conversations hushed but animated, clearly speculating about why they'd been summoned so quickly.
Rey took his seat at Rank 12, maintaining his elderly merchant persona while his enhanced perception catalogued every detail—who spoke with whom, whose expressions revealed genuine confusion versus calculated performance, which Advisors seemed nervous rather than merely curious.
Once everyone was assembled, Lady Z began without preamble.
