The next morning should have felt normal.
It didn't.
From the moment the sun rose beyond the crimson barrier surrounding Nacrifa, Sebastian knew something had changed.
Not in the kingdom.
Not in the palace.
In him.
The feeling followed him everywhere.
Like a shadow attached to his soul.
A quiet awareness.
A sense that somewhere, somehow—
someone was watching.
Not through magic.
Not through spies.
Directly.
As if ancient eyes had opened and fixed themselves upon him.
And no matter where he went—
they remained.
Waiting.
Patient.
Interested.
Sebastian hated it.
Unfortunately—
he hated the alternative more.
Because the alternative meant the journal was right.
And Sebastian was rapidly running out of reasons to believe it wasn't.
***
Meanwhile—
the palace had chosen violence.
Specifically—
wedding violence.
"NO."
"YES."
"NO."
"ABSOLUTELY YES."
Sebastian stopped outside the grand hall and immediately considered leaving the kingdom.
Possibly the continent.
