Whatever bond I thought Valen and I had forged over our shared ordeal with the Algoths seemed to have vanished into thin air.As we sat around the dining table for dinner, a heavy silence hung in the air, punctuated only by the clinking of utensils against porcelain. Valen brooded, his mood palpable even in the dim candlelight. I couldn't fathom what was weighing on his mind, but I dared not disturb his thoughts with idle conversation. Rhaenan, too, seemed lost in his own thoughts, his expression unreadable as he picked at his food.The revelation that there were indeed people bustling about the mansion had left me feeling hyper-aware of my surroundings. I found myself stealing glances at various places in the mansion and imagining what some folks might be doing there. I stare at the food, now burying my previous assumption that there was no cook and everything materialized at the snap of Valen's fingers.My gaze drifted across the table to Valen, who sat in stony silence, his attenti

The charming melodies wafting up from the hall downstairs beckon me like a siren's song, filling the long corridor with an air of anticipation. Unlike the predictable rhythms of my days in Ferngrove, where each sunrise brought familiar routines, stepping into this new world feels like diving into the unknown depths of a vast ocean.Downstairs, the sounds of laughter and animated conversation echo through the grand hall, mingling with the soft glow of candlelight. My hands clench in front of me, a mixture of excitement and trepidation coursing through my veins. I take a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever awaits me below.With each step down the ornate staircase, the polished marble floors reverberate beneath my feet, amplifying the rhythm of my heartbeat. As I approach the heart of the festivities, a surge of anticipation courses through me, mingling with the thrill of the unknown. The party unfolds before me like a tapestry of enchantment, the air alive with the cadence of lau