Hours passed in the Astran duchy.
By the time the afternoon had fully settled, the castle had grown noticeably quieter. The rush and urgency of the morning had faded, leaving behind a calmer, more controlled environment.
In one of the guest rooms of the castle's western wing, Liam sat at the small table facing the backyard window.
The grounds below were empty at this hour. Two of the Duke's gardeners moved along the far wall doing something with the row of bushes. Beyond them, the duchy stretched in its afternoon light, with paved roads, active streets, and the distant shape of the gate where everything had started yesterday morning.
Liam looked at none of it particularly.
His hands rested flat on the table surface, and his eyes were directed at the middle distance as if lost.
"I did not expect him to come out this developed."
His voice was low and quiet.
A melodic voice came from behind him.
"Neither did I."
