Suddenly, a platinum portal opened inside the Sovereign Hall, its bright light spreading softly across the ancient floor as the space within it twisted and slowly stabilized. Almost every pair of eyes around the World Table immediately shifted toward it.
The Elven Queen Elessa and the dwarf who had been standing behind her throne for most of the meeting had seemingly disappeared only moments earlier, apparently having gone personally to bring whoever Elessa had spoken about.
Now, the two of them were the first to step back through the portal, but something about their expressions immediately caught the attention of the Regents. Both looked unusually tense and serious. It wasn't fear. There wasn't even the slightest feeling that they were frightened of whoever was coming behind them. It was something entirely different respect mixed with an almost instinctive protectiveness.
