Elizabeth simply kissed my cheek. "Remember who you are. And who you return to."
The tea ceremony was held in a secluded pavilion overlooking a tranquil koi pond. Feng Lan was already waiting when I arrived. She wore a flowing crimson and gold robe that accentuated her tall, graceful figure. Her long hair cascaded like living flame, and those amber eyes — the Crimson Phoenix Rebirth Eyes — glowed faintly as she rose to greet me.
"Young Master Aristarkh," she said, voice smooth as silk. "Thank you for accepting my invitation. Please, sit."
We settled across from each other at a low table. Servants performed the elaborate tea ceremony with silent precision, but the real conversation happened in the spaces between words.
"You've caused quite a stir," Feng Lan said after the first pour, her gaze never leaving mine. "Destroying an SSS-rank gate single-handedly. Absorbing its power. Many clans are wondering what kind of monster House Targaryen has raised."
