Sebastian walked into the main hall of the Celestium Conclave, arm linked with Belle's. The space was enormous, bigger than most entire cities could claim to be, the kind of place that made you feel simultaneously insignificant and dangerously privileged.
The walls were a mixture of blackened stone and luminous crystal panels, etched with sigils older than most kingdoms, and the ceiling arched so high that stars seemed painted onto it rather than merely visible.
Above, the night sky stretched vast and impossibly endless, the domed roof blending the real heavens with what seemed like some magically anchored illusion, and for a brief second, Sebastian almost forgot that this was a human-made structure.
People's eyes flicked to them as they entered, but most quickly returned to their conversations.
The murmurs of politics, reputation, and ambition filled the hall like the steady hum of a machine designed to process influence.
