The moment Elliot entered the hall, he frowned.
The air in the hall was somewhat stale and carried a cloyingly sweet fragrance.
The fragrance was far too strong, as though thick perfume paste had been forcibly stuffed down his throat, and when he opened his mouth to breathe as he suffocated, he was forced to swallow another great mouthful.
It really was rather overpowering.
Elliot had to stop and take a moment to adjust before raising his head to look around.
Unlike the dim, gloomy scene he had imagined, the hall was brilliantly lit. A huge chandelier hung from the center of the ceiling, countless candle flames burning upon it and illuminating its surroundings.
The open doors stirred a breeze, and the candle flames all flickered at once, making one worry they might go out.
But they did not. They swayed and wavered, still shedding light over the hall.
The banquet had already begun. Elliot had arrived somewhat late.
Most of those in the room were attendants, weaving about with trays in their hands.
Several long tables were laden with a dazzling array of food and stemmed glasses. On the platter at the very center, roast lamb had been carefully arranged into a mountain of meat.
Looking at the lamb legs and heads hanging around the mound, Elliot instinctively recalled the creature in the Dream. Its massive body and superfluous limbs seemed to move, slowly turning its head to look at him.
Elliot blinked, and what lay before him became roast meat again.
Around the mountain of meat, people stood in twos and threes, chatting with glasses raised.
Elliot gave them a quick look and found most of their faces unfamiliar-anyone unfamiliar to him had to be a minor noble.
He had lingered here a little too long. The minor