The early morning sun slanted through the heavy, ornate silk curtains of the Valerian manor, casting golden hues across the lavishly appointed bedroom. Liam awoke with a slow, deliberate stretch, his joints groaning in the quiet room. Almost as if on cue, the heavy oak doors creaked open, and two maidservants glided in, their footsteps light and practiced. They carried basins of warm, scented water and finely woven linen towels, moving with the synchronized grace of those who had spent years in absolute service.
In this world, life for the nobility was an exercise in pure, unadulterated indulgence. To dress oneself was considered a chore best left to subordinates; if it were possible, someone would likely be hired to breathe on one's behalf.
"What a decadent and corrupt society," Liam m
