The court chamber was filled with hushed murmurs and rustling robes.
Lords and Dukes—vampires clad in noble cloaks and signets—sat in their respective seats around a long crescent-shaped table. At the far end, the seat of the king remained empty.
Their murmurs died down the moment the heavy doors creaked open.
Leander entered with slow, calculated steps, his cloak trailing behind him like smoke. All the nobles—dukes and lords—rose from their seats, bowing deeply in unison.
“Your Majesty,” they greeted.
Leander’s sharp gaze passed over them, unreadable as ever. He gave a faint nod, then ascended the steps to his high seat—his throne, dark and imposing, seated atop the chamber.
Thomas, seated among the lower tier of lords, nodded faintly. His eyes, however, were distant—haunted.
The m
