Elara had been working for exactly two hours and thirteen minutes when the knock came—not at her chamber door, but at the entrance to the small administrative office she'd claimed three weeks ago.
"Enter," she called without looking up from the supply requisition she was annotating. The numbers didn't match the actual delivery logs, which meant someone was either incompetent or embezzling. She'd determine which.
The door opened. Demerti's voice, familiar and efficient: "Your Highness, Lord Castor and Lady Revine have arrived for the scheduled meeting regarding the eastern trade routes."
Elara glanced at the timepiece on her desk. "They're four minutes early."
"Lord Castor's habit, Your Highness. Shall I have them wait?"
"No. Show them in. I'm nearly finished here." She made two final marks on the document, set it aside in the "investigate further" pile, and straightened in her chair.
