Sophia
The palace dining hall was dimly lit, bathed in the soft glow of golden sconces that flickered like the heartbeat of the manor itself.
The long table had been set with elegance and silverware polished to perfection, crystal goblets catching the light, and the scent of roasted meats and herbs wafting gently from the nearby service doors.
But none of that could soften the tension coiling through the air.
Erick sat beside me at the head of the long table, his jaw set, his mood unreadable but heavy.
His shoulders were stiff beneath his ceremonial tunic, and his fingers tapped a slow, controlled rhythm against the armrest of his throne-like chair.
The longer we waited, the more his silence echoed louder than any words ever could.
I reached for my wine glass, not because I neede
