“There are three bedrooms in this apartment,” Admon tells us, “all connecting to a sitting room. Each bedroom has a private bathing chamber, and water in the bathing chamber is provided by a system of pipes connected to a hot spring a few miles away. Meals will be served in your sitting room every day, though you’re free to find meals elsewhere in the city. The Council of Advisors has scheduled a formal introduction meeting tomorrow afternoon. Until then, I’ll leave you to get settled, as I’m sure you’re tired from two days of travel.” Admon pauses for a moment to see if we have any questions. When we stay silent, he bows and leaves.

“It feels very… cozy,” Silene says. The sitting room has a large bay of windows that appear to slide open onto a ground floor patio. In one corner is a fireplace, already roaring. Comfortable chairs are interspersed throughout, with a large table in another corner. Like everything in Thayaria, the space is also lined with plants that trail along the walls, adding to the pleasant ambiance.

Nothing this comfortable exists in the Velmaran palace. It is all gilded chairs that are cold and hard, formal spaces with lifeless decor—even in the private suites. I did my best to make my own suite comfortable, but even after centuries of seeking perfectly worn leather sofas, it’s nothing compared to this sitting room.

“Do you think the plants can listen in on our conversation?” Fionn whispers, eyes wide in fear. Silene giggles, and I shake my head no, though I’m not actually confident in the answer.

“Let’s get settled. I’m exhausted,” I tell them.

Fionn peaks his head in each bedroom, then walks into the one closest to the external doors, ever the protective warrior. “This one’s mine,” he grunts. I give Silene a look that says she’s free to choose her bedroom next.

She looks into the remaining two, then gives me a maniacal grin. “One of these is clearly meant for the Crown Prince of Velmara. Too bad he was stupid enough to give his courtier first pick.” She stalks into what appears to be the larger bedroom as I follow. The room is painted gold, as if the Thayarians assumed I would want to keep the color of my country even in my sleeping chambers. The bed is massive, with a gold comforter and lush pillows. It has its own private patio, a table and chairs set there to admire the picturesque view.

I loathe the gold that covers the Velmaran palace and am more than happy to give this bedroom over to Silene. She collapses onto the bed, moaning at the soft bedding. “Thank the aether, these beds are comfortable. I could sleep for days after the chaos of last week.” With a smile, I leave her to appreciate the bed intended for me.