Gareth found himself in the throne room again, the same place where he met Karl Leid, just as the man delivered his announcement before the throne. On the floor against the wall he sat, wiping tears from his face pitifully. He hadn't the slightest clue of the whereabouts of Thomas, Jezin, and Sophia, but Leid, he knew, was dead in the courtyard. He wept, his breath breaking and mouth making choked noises, for he was afraid and deeply saddened. Amazing, he thought, for the place he came to with joy and new friends the night before ended up being the place he fled to alone with fear. What happened in the courtyard was a mess. Each passing moment occurred so quickly his mind could barely recall the exact timeline of events. A tangled ball of thoughts filled his head while tears traced their marks on his face.