Chapter 12: A Storm on the Horizon
While Rhys was living a simple, focused life of learning and self-improvement in Greenleaf, the Azure Province was anything but calm.
Beneath the surface of relative peace maintained by the Royal Family, a storm was brewing.
The subtle signs, which Rhys had only caught a glimpse of, were now coalescing into a palpable tension that could be felt even in the marbled halls of the provincial capital, Azuregard.
The city of Azuregard was the heart of the province, a sprawling metropolis of towering pagodas, elegant manors, and bustling commerce, all nestled within the protective shadow of the royal palace.
It was here, in a somber and heavily guarded estate of the Royal Family, that the true powers of the province had been summoned.
The meeting took place in a hall surrounded by formations that prevented any sound from escaping. Around a massive round table sat men and women who held the fate of millions in their hands.
At the head of the table sat Marcus Azure, the Royal Regent. His face was a mask of strength and authority.
He was here instead of the emperor of the Royal Family, who was in deep seclusion.
To his right was Corbin Ashton, Rhys’s uncle. The stress of managing a declining family had etched deep lines into his face, and his military-style robes seemed to hang loosely on his weary frame.
Across from him, Lord Valerius Thorne of the Thorne Family radiated an aggressive energy, his powerful frame barely contained by his opulent silk robes.
His fingers drummed impatiently on the table, his gaze sweeping over the others as if assessing their weaknesses.
Beside him, Lord Sterling of the alchemist family remained placid and unreadable, his eyes holding the shrewd patience of a man who measured time in generations and wealth in mountains.