Marcus's chamber at Blue Crystal was large and neatly arranged. A wide oak table sat in the center over a soft rug, over a polished wooden floor and mahogany-scented walls. There were two flags on the wall bearing the royal insignia as well as portraits of his ancestors behind his chair. An orange tree sat in a large golden pot beside the arched window.

All the councilors worked from Blue Crystal, their duties including security and the enforcement of the King's laws. Even though, in most kingdoms, the councilors worked from their own residences where they had special office chambers or libraries, Marcus insisted that his people worked in one...