Islinda must have a knack for arriving late because everyone was seated by the time she arrived — including the king. This meant that when she reached the entrance, hundreds of eyes pinned her to the spot. The once excited chatter fell to a hush with her arrival and Islinda could not move because she felt like a small fish in the midst of sharks. They would consume her whole and leave no bones.
So Islinda took a deep breath and began to walk with her head lifted high. Her maidservant was not allowed to pass through, which meant another Fae was leading the way. Islinda could see the seating arrangement properly now.