After a long and exhausting day, I finally returned to the palace in the evening. My thoughts, despite my best efforts to focus on more pressing matters, kept drifting back to her. Olivia. There was something about her fearlessness—or perhaps her recklessness—that made me feel an inexplicable need to protect her. I couldn't shake it off.
As soon as I stepped inside, I made my way to her room. I didn’t send anyone ahead to check on her. No. This time, I needed to see for myself that she was safe.
Reaching her door, I hesitated for a moment, my hand resting on the handle. Why was I even doing this? She was just a human, a troublesome one at that. Yet here I was, standing outside her room, concerned about her well-being.
Taking a breath, I gently pushed the door open. The room was dimly li
