Back at the castle, Saliss was in a rage. "Zendrayus should be here by now! Where is that dripping wreck?" he shouted at the patient Nathoria.

"My lord," his servant replied, "you know very well that Sunblaze takes days to traverse, and it takes days to reach there. Perhaps Zendrayus is just now getting ready to return."

Furiously, the regal dragon dug his claws into the carpet, but he seemed to listen. "Just departing?" he muttered, peering out of his window again.

Nathoria had never seen her lord so agitated. While she was aware that he and Ebony had been friends, a long time back she was unaware that this would be any different from any other revenge she'd seen Saliss take. He'd destroyed friends of his before. But, just looking at the fires glowing in the king's yellow eyes, she knew that Ebony's defiance represented something truly heinous to Saliss. Nathoria was a good servant, though, so she kept her observation to herself.

Saliss turned, whipping out of the room and stalking down the corridor. The walls of his castle stretched all around him, draped in lush tapestries and decorated with the finest paintings. As he passed, red-scaled servants bowed to him and greeted him with the most overflowing concern. Saliss ignored it all. He swept out onto the balcony mounted on the highest tower of his castle. Below him stretched his city, the domiciles of his subjects spreading out as far as he could see. 

He stretched his sharp claws wide. "Look, Ebony! Look and despair! See my gain...and soon you will feel your ruin! If you had but taken my offer, old friend, all this would be yours as well."