After a hearty lunch, the three of us were making our way through the hallways. Valeria was still engaged in some story about the ancient history of the palace, her voice animated as she recounted tales of old. Her hands moved dramatically as she described battles and royal intrigues, and her eyes sparkled with the passion of a born storyteller.
I was listening intently, trying to picture the grandiose events she described, but I couldn't help but notice the glint in Seraphina's eye.
She had been unusually quiet since lunch ended, and I could sense her plotting something. Every now and then, she would glance at me with a barely suppressed grin, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
Valeria paused for a breath, mid-sentence about a daring escape through the palace tunnels. "And that's when King Alaric..." she started, but before she could continue, Seraphina seized the moment.
