Damien left Lilith's grand hall with a steadying breath. The heavy doors closed behind him with a dull thud, leaving him alone in the quiet, dimly lit corridor. The air felt thick, the weight of Lilith's words pressing against his mind. An expedition into the Aldrin Rain Forest with vampires eager to prove themselves—and likely eager to see him fail.
The auburn-haired maid who had escorted him waited silently at the end of the hall, her eyes lowered in deference. Damien gave her a nod of acknowledgment, and she fell into step beside him as they began to walk back to the outer area of the Bloodkeep.
The corridors of the inner sanctum seemed to stretch on endlessly, their towering stone walls were filled with symbols and runes he couldn't decipher. Dark chandeliers hung from the high ceilings, their candles burning low, moving flickering shadows that danced like phantoms.
