The next few days in the Imperial Palace were suffocating for Elias.
He quickly realized that life in the palace was nothing like the temple where he'd spent most of his life. The temple had strict rules and routines, but there was still a sense of peace and order.
There, he'd always known where he stood and what was expected of him. Here, in the Imperial Palace, everything felt unpredictable and chaotic.
Privacy, he soon discovered, was nonexistent.
Every time he tried to rest, walk around, or even sit quietly, a guard or maid would suddenly appear out of nowhere, knocking on his door or asking if he needed anything.
At first, Elias thought they were just trying to be helpful, but it didn't take long for him to realize that wasn't the case.
They were watching him.
The realization hit him hard when he caught a guard peeking through the slightly open door of his room while he was pretending to sleep.
