Third Person POV
The corridor outside the King and Queen’s private chambers was silent, but the weight of the unknown pressed against Bastian and Liliana’s chests like a vice.
Bastian knocked twice, firm and steady.
A breath later, the door swung open—not by a guard or a servant, but by Queen Seraphina herself.
Liliana barely had time to process the oddity of the moment before the Queen stepped aside and ushered them in swiftly, her movements precise and urgent.
“Come in. Quickly.”
The door shut behind them with a soft click.
Bastian’s senses sharpened instantly. The room was warm, the air scented with aged wood, burning firewood, and faint traces of the rich liquors resting in crystal decanters. But something else hung in the air, something heavier than the scent of wine or the glo
