I was accompanied by a maid, my head still spinning after my dance with Lucius. My head ached, and I could feel the weight of the conversation pressing down on me. They led me to where the wines and water were kept, and I drank a couple of glasses of wine to try to steady myself. But then, I asked for something stronger. The sharp, bitter taste of alcohol burned down my throat, and for a moment, I felt my body loosen, my head growing unsteady.
"I need water," I mumbled, but the truth was, I didn't need water. Not really. I needed something to numb the chaos swirling in my mind.
The alcohol seemed to do the trick, dulling everything, and a sense of calm began to seep in. It was such a relief, even if only temporary.
Still, the overwhelming haze in my mind pushed me to seek some air, something to clear the fog.
"I'm going outside," I told the maid beside me, my words slurring slightly.
