Bringing those new musings...
Nathaniel Zale, modern day witch, had quietly exited the council chamber and even politely bid farewell to the royals. Though, that had been a bit of a rouse, because Nate had taken a less-than-direct path to Eva's reception room. Once there, the adviser stood directly before the largest window and took in the early morning view of Vernal Asgard.
Somewhere, on one of the nearby spires, Baldr soaked in every ray of light possible. That mysterious man was the reason for Nate's visit with the queen, though not the reason he'd kept the rendezvous private. Since Eva's ascension and the need for their working relationship, the pair had always flourished in solitude. It suited their process and their progress, two things that Nathaniel was extraordinarily proud of.
"It's worse than we thought," Nate informed the queen when she made her appearance. "But you probably already figured that out."