Meera dragged her feet as she followed the Reaper, who kept looking back and slowing his pace when he realized that she was falling behind. She had half a mind to order him to take her back to her room. Given her status, he would no doubt have to agree, but then again, these people reported to Munral, who must've given them strict orders not to listen to her demands.

Surprisingly, the Reaper didn't take her to the Imperial Court. They passed by the megalithic double doors and continued walking until they took a right into a long corridor, like everything else in this palace. This corridor was also stunningly decorated, but these walls were even more so. It was like the God King wanted to impress the people walking through this corridor as if the rest of the palace hadn't done that already.

There were a pair of stunning polished gold doors with the same Druvis and vines-like patterns. There were more than a few palace guards standing on either side. Even with the doors being closed, Meera heard the sounds of people talking and bustling about. She doubted she would've heard anything if it weren't for her Gem off Echoes.

The guards noticed her and immediately bowed at the waist. Two of them pulled the doors open, and the third stepped inside.

"The Reverent Lady, Meera Singh!" He boomed in a loud voice.

It was like someone had just announced that a shark had just walked in. Everyone quieted. Not a single soul moved. They simply stared, making Meera very self-conscious of herself. She hoped that she didn't look too worse for the wear. Her armor must've been fine, but the same couldn't said about her hair and face.

With no other choice, she stepped in, and immediately, the hall erupted in a flurry of activity. Quite a few people stared, and a considerate number rushed to greet her.

"Reverent Lady, it is an absolute honor."

"You must come visit my villa."

"I will name my next child after you."

That one gave Meera pause. She didn't know what to say to that. She smiled and nodded as people pushed to get a glimpse of her. It was a little too much.

Well, at least I know what celebrities feel like.

"Silence!" Roared a man whose face looked quite familiar. He wore a royal blue coat adorned with a necklace of pearls. His white turban was also decorated with pearls, in the middle of which was a sapphire that matched the blue of his coat.

The crowd parted as the young man approached. He bowed to her. "My Lady, it is an absolute pleasure to have finally made your acquaintance. Prince Manazhar Varsha at your service."

"Oh," Meera quickly bowed her head. "Your Highness."

"You do not have to address me as such, My Lady," Manazhar replied.

"Meera!" She heard a playful feminine sound. The crowd parted to let Princess Rehia through. Many bowed their heads, and Meera noted more than one woman staring at her with jealousy. The lady was dressed in such fine clothes that Meera found it hard not to be one of those jealous women.

"Princess." Meera tilted her head a little.

She waved a dismissive hand. "Nonsense. Didn't we decide to do away with such titles last we spoke."

"That is not proper, sister," Manazhar said, then lowered his voice. "Especially in here with all these people watching."

Rehia rolled her eyes. "Always the stickler for tradition, eh Mana?"

"You know, just this brief interaction is going to have the tongues wagging of every petty noble from the capital to the outlying provinces."

"Let their tongues wag," Rehia said, loud enough to make the nobles who'd heard shift uncomfortably. "It'll give them something to do aside from licking Father's ass. Come, let's talk in the royal quarters where there won't be as many prying ears. Isn't that right, dear brother?"

She slid one arm through Meera's and took her along. Her brother groaned, smiled at a noble, and then followed. Her brother did his best to pass smiles as they stalked away, even if they were rushing away as if they had stolen the crown jewels. Rehia kept them going at a brisk pace. The nobles nearly jumped out of their path as if they were on fire.

It didn't take them long to reach the royal pavilion. There were just as many royals present here as there were nobles. It was quite the crowd. Meera figured they were the God King's direct relatives. The siblings didn't bother to explain who these people were or how they were related to them, but the family resemblance was uncanny.

These people were less keen on jumping out of Rehia's way, for they were staring too hard and fast at Meera. The three of them moved on to the very end, to the four empty seats closest to the throne. Rehia propped herself down on one seat, Manazhar took the second, and the other two remained empty.

"Oh, go on," Rehia said, motioning to one of the empty seats. "I doubt our little brother is going to show up."

Manazhar scoffed. "He has no care for decorum or summons from his king and father. If Sekaramal or I had ever pulled that off, Father would've had Munral drag us through the palace kicking and screaming to stand before him for punishment."

Rehia shrugged. "That's what he gets for being father's favorite."

Manazhar shook his head but said nothing.

"You guys are talking about your youngest, I presume," Meera said.

"Of course." They replied in unison.

"Tell me about it. Neel got away with everything. Mom never said anything to him, no matter how much trouble he got in, while I stepped one toe out of line, and I would never hear the end of it."

Rehia laughed. "So, it seems younger siblings are the same no matter what world they grew up in."

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"You got that right," Meera replied. She noticed that the other royals weren't hovering around as much. "Are they not allowed to come here?"

"Yes, Reverent Lady," Manazhar replied. "This pavilion is only reserved for the God King's true children. The rest have to stay in the space allotted to them. They're still better seated than the nobles and petty nobles but not as well as, well, us."

"The closer you're to the throne, the higher you are in the line of succession," Rehia finished.

"Then why am I here?" Meera wondered out loud.

"That's because you're special, My Lady," Sekaramal said.

She had seen him breaking off from the crowd, where he was talking to a bunch of elderly men in what was military uniform. By the nods and looks they gave him, the eldest brother was well-liked by them.

Meera stood and bowed her head. "Your Highness."

He returned the bow, took her hand, and kissed it lightly. "My Lady."

Rehia snorted. "Want to add the Reverent Lady to your latest list of conquests, eh brother?"

Sekaramal's eyes flashed. "Rehia, how many times do we need to talk about impropriety and your lack of manners?"

"At least, one more time, dear brother." Rehia flashed him a brilliant smile, showing off her perfect teeth, which was a rarity she had seen in these worlds.

"Will father be here soon?" Manazhar asked.

The elder brother nodded. "Aye. I was just now headed to his quarters to fetch him, as he asked me."

Meera noted the emphasis on the last word as if he was showing off to his siblings that he was the favorite, not them.

"Well, off you go then," Rehia said. "You wouldn't want to disappoint him...again."

Sekaramal glared at her a moment before turning to smile at Meera and then finally leaving. Meera sat to find Rehia scowling at the brother that remained.

"What?" Manazhar asked.

"Brother, for all your smarts, you clearly do not see the game he is playing," she said. "And beating you, from the looks of things."

"What?" Manazhar aksed. "Just because Father asked him to call on him when things are ready somehow makes him the favorite. If anything, it makes him nothing better than the help."

"The help is going outplay you and then lord over you one day as the God King if you keep letting him."

"I would be glad to call him my king," Manazhar replied.

"Oh really?" Rehia raised an eyebrow. "Tell me the truth then, that you don't want the throne? That you don't think our older brother would be nothing more than a warmongering idiot who would splinter the empire and then spend the rest of his reign regaining all the lands he lost, just like Father." She leaned in. "You know, he is nothing but Father's shadow. That's why Father is so inclined towards him. If it weren't for his catastrophic blunder at bringing down the Cervi, he would've already named Sekarmal as his successor."

"Do you think this is talk we should be having in front of…"

"Meera? Trust me when I say this, she needs to know all this as the fate of the empire will rest in her hands one day."

Manazhar's head snapped so fast towards Meera that she feared it would come off. "My Lady, what is she—"

"I honestly don't know," Meera played dumb. "I just want to find my brother. I don't want to get involved in the politics of your country. No offense, Your Highness."

Before Manazhar could ask any more questions, she was saved by the drums. It was like the war drums, and she had enough of those as well, back in Azeria. They were so loud that she felt their thrum in her chest.

Everyone stood and looked to the front of the room. To the balcony, which held the throne-like chair of the God King. Arhazar literally appeared on the chair as if he had teleported there. Sekaramal walked around the throne to stand on his right. That sent a flurry of whispers to erupt in the room.

Even Meera wasn't as dumb not to know what that meant. The prince was practically declaring to the room that his father had chosen him as the Crown Prince.

Meera didn't miss the pointed glance Rehia gave Manazhar, which said, I told you so. Manazhar looked away, not wanting to meet her sister's gaze.

Arhazar silenced the whispers with a raised hand. He looked to his eldest and motioned to the seats below him. "Join your brother and sister, Sekaramal."

The prince reddened slightly. He bowed at the waist. "Yes, Father."

He jumped from the balcony and landed on a knee, cracking the floor slightly. He didn't meet his siblings' gaze as he took his seat. It was a good thing he didn't because Rehia was soundlessly laughing at him.

"Sit," Arhazar commanded. "I thank you all for leaving your schedule to come here. Truth be told, I have wanted to do this for a long time, but in my heart, I knew it wasn't the right time. I was waiting for a sign." He looked Meera in the eye.

Oh no, please don't announce my arrival.

The God King continued. "A sign that is none other than the Reverent Lady whose arrival we've been expecting since her divine brother left us. Reverent Lady, if you will, please stand so that all may bask in your divine presence."

Meera gave him an uncomfortable smile and stood. As expected, the room fell silent once again. Then, one by one, they fell to a knee and bowed their heads, making Meera mighty uncomfortable. The only person who hadn't done so was Rehia, but after one stern look from her father, she sighed audibly and did the same.

They stayed there until Meera spoke. "Please stand. There is no need to bow to me."

"Such humility…" someone said.

"Oh, she's truly divine."

"I knew it was her from the get-go. Even before they announced her arrival."

Once again, the God King raised a hand to quiet them, and they took their seats.

"I have called you all here to announce my succession," Arhazar said. "Or rather, how I will choose my successor. As you all know, unlike the lesser kingdoms of the worlds, we do not simply hand over the kingdom to the firstborn. No, the next God King has to prove themselves before they are considered worthy. This tradition started with the first God King, and it will continue in my reign. Any time this tradition has been broken, and fathers have chosen their firstborn out of love, it has brought calamity upon the realm."

Sekaramal shifted in his seat. Meera wasn't the only one who noted his discomfort. Rehia nudged her other brother's arm and motioned to the firstborn son of her father. Manazhar grinned at her sister.

Even if they were royal siblings who were seated to hear the succession of their father, they were still siblings, after all. Making each other uncomfortable and finding joy in it was almost a religious activity.

The God King continued. "But I will confess, I'm at an impasse as to who I should sit on the Kyldar Throne, as all my sons are worthy in my eye."

"Of course, he would say, sons," Rehia muttered in a hushed whisper. She didn't think anyone would have heard, but then Meera was not just anyone.

"I have decided to put a challenge forward to my children," Arhazar said. "My sons, you have till the gala to come up with an extraordinary challenge that will be to the betterment of the realm. It could be as simple as helping build a granary in the far-off villages or as complex as conquering the Cervi kingdom."

Sekaramal shifted uncomfortably once more.

"And so, you have seven days to think on such a challenge that will prove you worthy of sitting on my throne."

Meera sighed. Thank God, it didn't have anything to do with me.

"Reverent Lady, may I ask you to assist me in choosing the victor?" The God King asked.

Spoke too soon again, Meera.

She couldn't outright refuse him and had to play this correctly or earn the ire of who knew how many people. But the look in the king's eye told Meera that he somehow knew what had happened in her travels. She had a feeling Munral had a hand behind this.

She stood and smiled at him. "If I am still in the country by then, it would be my honor."

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