The throne room swallowed us whole.
It wasn’t vast in the way Polaris’ great hall was, warm and alive with people and starlight. It wasn’t bright and cool like the one in Skadi, nor filled with sunlight like the one in Herion. This place was cavernous and hollow. Pillars rose toward a ceiling, and every step echoed too loudly, as if the room wanted us to know how small we were inside it.
My siblings were shoved forward first. I reacted on instinct, lunging, but Kael caught me, grounding me even as his own body trembled with barely contained violence.
“Easy,” he murmured against my temple.
“Don’t provoke him, Starlight. I’ve got you.”
The King took his throne with lazy grace. He sat back, one arm draped over the armrest, his gaze roaming over us like we were pieces on a board. When hi
