The music swelled in the grand hall as Sylvia and I returned to the festivities, her steps graceful but tight with lingering frustration. She maintained her imperial composure, but the edge in her voice during our earlier conversation clung to the air between us.
The nobles resumed their mingling, though I could still feel stray glances brushing over me—some curious, others calculating. It was the nature of this court, where alliances and rivalries brewed beneath a veneer of civility. I took a breath, reminding myself to stay alert. If there was one thing I'd learned since arriving here, it was that everyone had an angle.
Sylvia excused herself with a curt nod, vanishing into the crowd. I couldn't tell if she was genuinely upset or if this was just her way of maneuvering through the evening's politics. Either way, I had no plans to chase after her. Instead, I allowed myself to blend into the crowd, observing more than participating.
