The corridors were dim, the flicker of torchlight casting long shadows along the stone walls as I walked toward my quarters.
The evening air still hung heavy with the scent of dinner — spiced meats, rich wine, and something sharper, like the unspoken tension that clung to every word spoken with Julius. My steps felt heavier now, weighed down by more than just the day's exhaustion. The encounter had stirred something unexpected, a storm of conflicting feelings I hadn't anticipated.
When I reached the heavy wooden door of my room, I hesitated, fingers lingering on the rough iron handle. My heart thudded unevenly as I pushed it open.
Inside, the room was darker than I expected, shadows pooling in corners where the candlelight didn't quite reach. And there he was… Prince Jesse, sitting on the bed, his expression unreadable but intense as he looked up the moment I entered.
"So… you really went to him," he said softly, voice thick with something I couldn't quite place.
