Seraphine's POV
The palace at night was always different. Quieter, but not calmer. An atmosphere hung over it as if the walls themselves were listening, as if someone were whispering from behind the thick brocade tapestries. During the day, the corridors were filled with life, the sound of soldiers, the hurried steps of servants, the echo of commands—but now, only the soft crackle of candles could be heard, and the occasional distant footsteps of a guard. Shadows cast by the moonlight on the walls evoked the palace's ancient secrets.
The air in my room was cool but clean. The healers had long gone, but the earthy, sharp scent of herbs lingered, as if protecting the space. Moonlight streamed through the window, drawing long, pale stripes on the polished stone floor. I stood before the mir
