"You propose to contain me?"
The question hung in the air, deceptively simple yet layered with harmonics that resonated through the chamber's ancient stonework. Klaus's crystalline eyes fixed on the Stone Monarch with unnerving stillness.
"Merely standard protocol," the Stone Monarch replied, though something in his voice betrayed uncertainty that hadn't been present moments before. "A formality to ensure productive discourse."
"A formality," Klaus echoed, each syllable carrying multiple tones that caused the chamber's glass to vibrate subtly. "Interesting."
He remained motionless on the central dais, yet somehow his presence seemed to expand, filling the imperial chamber with pressure that made breathing increasingly difficult for those present. The monarchs shifted uncomfortably in their thrones, political calculation temporarily overwhelmed by primal instinct.
"Perhaps we should reconsider—" the Lightning Queen began.
