I sat on the wide velvet couch in the center of the living room, the fabric sinking slightly beneath me as I adjusted my posture with practiced calm. The room was warmer than the palace halls, filled with soft morning light that filtered through tall arched windows and brushed across polished marble floors. Liora stood quietly behind my right side while Maribel leaned casually against the back of the couch, her presence familiar enough now that it no longer unsettled me the way it once did.
The sound of approaching footsteps echoed from the corridor, followed by the soft opening of the doors. A maid entered first, bowing low before stepping aside, and Gabriel Wayfarer followed her into the room with careful, measured steps. The moment his eyes landed on me, he stopped completely and bowed deeply, his hand pressed over his chest in formal respect.
"Your Highness," he said respectfully, his voice steady but clearly restrained with caution.
