"Resetting the lighting! Back to the imperial bedchambers set! Moving immediately!" Alistair's voice thundered down the main corridor, jolting Lydia from her reverie.
Ten minutes later, Lydia stood positioned at the center of the elaborate, crimson-draped palace chamber set. The air hung thick with sweet incense smoke, creating an almost suffocating atmosphere that clung to her skin. The giant, silk-lined imperial bed dominated the space beneath the key light, its opulent fabric seeming to absorb the golden glow. This scene represented Aurelia's grand play for the crown… her most calculated move yet.
"And... action!"
The Emperor perched on the edge of the silk mattress, his heavy velvet robe loosened at the collar. His expression remained distant, haunted by the memory of Seraphina's midnight waltz. The weight of that encounter still shadowed his features.
