The morning after the disaster brought grim news from multiple fronts. Prince Rylen remained unconscious despite the healers' best efforts, while Lord Daven's arm wounds had required extensive treatment to prevent permanent damage. Ambassador Kest's facial injuries were healing, but the diplomatic implications of so many visiting dignitaries being wounded in Azure Depths territory were growing more serious by the hour.
Princess Liyana sat in the palace's crisis management chamber, her face pale with exhaustion and stress. The water spirits' unexplained flight had shaken her more than the physical injuries—in all her years, she'd never seen the spirits abandon a ceremony in terror.
"Any word from the investigation teams?" she asked Captain Reef, who was coordinating the various emergency responses.
