The early morning sun had barely begun to warm the ornate halls of the imperial palace when a sharp knock echoed through Steele's chambers. Mazikeen stood outside, her posture rigid and alert despite the early hour. When no answer came, she tried the handle, finding it unlocked.
She wasn't surprised. Steele didn't strike her as the type to fear intruders. If anything, she mused, he'd probably welcome the challenge.
Stepping inside, Mazikeen's eyes swept the opulent room. The bed, still rumpled probably from the previous night's activities, was conspicuously empty. "Steele?" she called out, her voice cutting through the silence. No response.
