Inside the Imperius family's main house, the corridors were quiet in a way that felt wrong.
Servants moved more softly, voices lowered to whispers, and the usual arrogant hum of the lineage that ruled Valeria had dulled into heavy silence.
Sylvia Evan Imperius walked alone down one of the long marble hallways.
Dark circles shadowed her red eyes, as if she hadn't slept properly in days. Her movements were steady, but a careful look would reveal the tightness in her shoulders, the controlled pace of a woman forcing herself to function through sheer discipline.
In her hands, she carried a large silver tray.
It was filled with steaming food: thinly sliced roasted meat, bowls of vegetable stew, fresh bread, neatly cut fruit, and a small cup of medicine placed beside a glass of water. Behind her, two maids pushed a wheeled food cart stacked with extra dishes and utensils.
Sylvia walked a little ahead of them.
At a door, she stopped.
