Varin’s POV
The golden liquid swirled in my glass, catching the dim light of the flickering lanterns. I watched the way it moved, slow and deliberate, mirroring the thoughts circling in my mind. The first sip burned its way down my throat, sharp and heady, settling into a familiar warmth in my chest. It should have been soothing. It wasn’t.
The room was quiet, save for the occasional crackle of embers in the hearth and the faint rustle of parchment on the desk. The air smelled of aged wood, smoke, and the lingering traces of Rivara’s perfume—something dark and floral, deceptively sweet.
I exhaled, leaning back in my chair, my gaze fixed on the shadows stretching beyond the stone walls. The castle had always felt vast, its corridors cold even when filled with people. But tonight, there w
