As soon as we returned to the palace, I rushed to my room without a backward glance. I didn't wait for Lucius to say anything, nor did I bother calling for Maidservant Tae to attend to me. My only goal was to shut myself away from everything—and everyone.
But as I slammed the door shut, a sharp pang of unease settled in my chest. Tae wasn't there. She usually greeted me the moment I came back, fussing over me like a mother hen, asking about training, or bringing me something warm to drink. Her absence felt... odd.
Still, I didn't have the energy to dwell on it. My mind was a mess, and if I let myself spiral down yet another rabbit hole, I'd never pull myself out. Instead, I went straight to the small stash I'd hidden behind the wardrobe—some leftover beer from Elena's party.
I grabbed a bottle, popped it open, and made my way to the rooftop. The night air hit my skin like a balm, cool and bracing, but it did little to soothe the storm raging inside me.
