THEIR breakfast venue had been changed to the garden at the Emperor’s request. Thalia hesitated for a moment upon seeing Emperor Kallixto seated gracefully, silently sipping a cup of hot tea as he waited for her. His dignified expression stirred butterflies in her stomach — so poised, so commanding, so impossibly handsome. It was no mystery why so many young ladies eagerly participated in the Empress selection, despite knowing his reputation as a tyrant.
As Thalia’s gaze lingered on him, their eyes met across the distance. Instinctively, a shy yet giddy smile spread across her lips. To her surprise, Kallixto returned the gesture with a faint, knowing smile of his own.
Ba-dum! Ba-dum!
Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, the rhythm so loud she could almost hear it echoing in her ears.
