Chapter 51: An Indisposed Duke
Lyria's POV
I lingered in the shadows, my back pressed against the cold marble of the pillar, the polished floor reflecting the soft glow of the chandeliers above like captured stars. The scent of incense and warm wax mingled with the subtle perfume of nobles moving in practiced rhythm, swirling around me in waves I could not escape.
My body ached from the work I had done in the stables earlier, muscles pulled and stiff, joints protesting with every breath. A yawn clawed its way past my lips, and I pressed a hand to my mouth.
If not for the Queen's command, I would have been curled upon my narrow bed long before now. But shadows were my lot tonight, and shadows I would remain, for the price of failing her orders was far higher than the ache in my bones.
