The light had already settled in the room by the time both of them moved.

She was already dressed when he finished. He adjusted the last folds of his sleeve, eyes flickering briefly towards her, subconsciously.

She stood near the window again, looking down at the market below as children ran around a sight she herself hadn’t noticed had missed.

"Ready?" He asked quietly.

Her gaze drifted back to him.

"Yes."

No more words were needed. She walked towards him, sliding his hand into hers as they walked towards the door.

The door closed softly behind them with the guards bowing as they passed.

Servants moved aside instinctively, heads lowering as they moved closer to the wall.

"My queen.. your highness. "

Most of them were still in surprise since no one had noticed their departure now their return.

They didn’t stop or acknowledge them beyond the bare minimum.

The main palace doors stood ahead. For a brief moment, they stopped, her hand brushing against his softly just a brief deliberate contact. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Atheline turned to look at her.

"I’ll speak when necessary," he said quietly.

She glanced up at him.

"I know," she said. She slipped her hand into his," You can say whatever you want, you have my full support. "

A small chuckle slipped through his lips.

"I know."

The corner of her lips curved just slightly, that was the closest thing to a smile she could allow at the moment.

The doors opened, cutting off his response.

Everyone in the room bowed immediately.

"My queen... your highness. "

The acknowledgement was perfectly synchronised. The moment they stepped inside, her killing intent, just a small amount, spewed out sending a wave of pressure towards the ten council members waiting for him.

She didn’t rush and neither did he.

They walked forward to the throne, not quite touching but side by side enough to maintain decorum but also have a sense of closeness.

He stopped two staircases below her throne, watching her as she took her seat.

Her gaze swept over to him before it moved to the council members waiting.

"Begin," she calmly said.

The first to speak was the noble elder. He leaned forward slightly, fingers steepled.

"Your majesty, " he began, voice smooth but edged with scrutiny, " it seems you have returned unannounced just as you left."

His gaze moved to Atheline.

"It seems your highness has recovered. "

Atheline smiled glancing briefly at Lilith.

"Yes, it does, " he replied calmly.

Lilith leaned further back her cold gaze sweeping over them before settling on the noble elder.

"Should I report my travels to you?"

The noble elder shook his head straightened and just for a moment, meeting her gaze briefly.

"We are just worried, " he said, voice filled with measured worry," we have heard of the incident around the blood ocean..."

His words hang in the air, left for all of them to interpret.

Tense silence filled the room as everyone held their breath, waiting for her verdict.

The space above Lilith’s hand shimmered, and then a few moon crystals appeared.

Whispers dominated the hall.

"Silence!" she said quietly, " it seems news travels faster than I thought. "

Some of the council members took a small step back while others lowered their gaze. The noble elder did no such thing.

His gaze flickered briefly to the moon crystals then back to her.

"You caused quite the commotion my queen. "

He glanced at Atheline.

"Really?" She asked drawing out the words.

"A collapsed ruin, rumours have already travelled that you are the cause," he paused, glancing at the moon crystals again, " and it seems they are right. You came back with... results."

Lilith didn’t respond immediately instead a small smile graced her lips.

"Results," she echoed softly. "That is one way to describe it."

A councillor to the far left leaned forward unable to hide his curiosity.

"How much," he asked bluntly, unable to hide the greed in his eyes.

Lilith had only shown them a few.

She didn’t look at him directly.

"Enough."

A faint scoff came from another seat.

"That is not a number."

Her sharp gaze found the speaker. He shrank in his seat.

"No," she agreed, glancing at him now," it is a boundary. "

A few chancellors stiffened.

Atheline spoke for the first time, voice low but easy to carry.

"You will find," he said," that pushing against it will not make it more specific. "

The room subtly shifted. They had all forgotten he was present since he had been silent the whole time.

The Chancellors knew now that they were dealing with two foxes.

The elder noble folded his hands.

"The island ruin," he said stirring the conversation back to place, " has taken a lot of lives and ceased to exist."

He paused.

"Would you care to explain that?"

This time, Lilith smiled faintly.

"It’s a ruin."

A few irritated glances passed between the Chancellors.

"We are aware of the term," a female sharp-eyed Council member among them replied, " we are asking for cause. "

Lilith’s gaze slid to her.

"And I’m answering," she said then added casually, " the extraction destabilised it."

Everyone looked at her in absolute silence.

"You mined it dry," someone asked.

Atheline smiled, understanding what she was doing. A quiet breath left him, almost amused.

"Dry’ would suggest inefficiency, " he said," we were through."

If news had spread that there were only moon crystals and nothing on the island, most of the people would lose interest.

While Lilith was strong having everyone inquiring about what they found would eventually become tiring.

A flicker of annoyance crossed more than one face.

"So the rumours are true," another member said slowly, "you exited a collapsed ruin with a significant quantity of moon crystals... and possibly other older artifacts. "

"Possibly?" Lilith repeated, one brow lifting slightly.

He held her gaze.

"We have reports."

"Aren’t you all fast," she said subly mocking them," you should trust them."

He didn’t like the answer.

"It is our duty to know about your majesty... as I was saying those reports," he pressed," suggests you recovered a lot."

There it was. The real motive of the meeting being brought up. Her fingers rested lightly on her knee.

"And if I did?"

The question hung over them, descriptively light.