The banquet hall was endless, or at least it appeared that way. High vaulted ceilings arched overhead, painted with skies that shifted from dawn to dusk depending on where you looked. Long tables groaned under platters of celestial delicacies: roasted quail stuffed with figs that glistened like amber, candied roses crisp with frost, goblets brimming with wines from forgotten vineyards. Beside...










