Count Domenico held his breath. Unsure of what expression he wore, Cesare added with a smiling face, "Just kidding, Count."
Yet, despite his attempt to appear jovial, a flash unmistakably revealed itself through Cesare's bright red pupils that seemed to drip blood. No, it was intentional.
Count Domenico's mind raced back to the events of the previous night.
He had attended the Grand Duke's wedding and enjoyed the banquet until the late hours. With a pleasant buzz from the wine, he had prepared to depart for home when trouble struck: his carriage, expected to await him, had vanished.
Anxiously scanning the surroundings, Count Domenico saw a black carriage approaching. It halted before him, and a knight descended, adorned with the Grand Duke's crest.
The man, half of his face covered in burn scars, looked at Count Domenico with an expressionless face and said, "I will escort you, sir."
