The throne room was the most lavish place Eunji had ever seen. Crafted out of expensive stone, every surface was painstakingly hand-carved and accented with gold, silver, and precious gems. A few thin windows let in misty daylight, while lanterns filled in dark corners with a subdued glow. Altogether it seemed a grim room, where no thought was given to happiness or comfort.
It also seemed like a shrine to the occupant of the large, gold-plated throne at the other end of the hall. Relaxing on a cushion there, surrounded by a complement of guards, listening to a Moehog courtier read the latest tax report, was a middle-aged green Acara in a gold-and-black robe. His face was somber and his eyes sharp and shrewd.
Eunji grimaced at the aura he gave off. This was
very clearly a Neopet who saw life as a power struggle and other Neopets as his
pawns. It reminded her quite a bit of how Wai Ren used to be. No wonder there
was such a shadow hanging over Shenkuu—its ruler had no love in his heart for
anything but power.
