Anette arrived at the Royal Palace as if she had never left.
She did not ask permission, announce her name, or slow her pace as she crossed the enormous front courtyard. The outer gates were open, servants and soldiers moved about as usual, and for a brief second some believed they were simply watching another eccentric noblewoman approaching the heart of vampire power.
The mistake did not last long.
Two guards stationed at the main entrance, both far too young to recognize the weight of that presence, immediately stepped forward with their spears crossed in front of her.
"Stop. Identify yourself."
Anette barely looked at them.
Her face remained arrogantly calm, almost bored, as she kept walking.
One of the guards reached out to block her path.
The exact moment his fingers touched the dark sleeve of her improvised dress, the young man's entire body stiffened.
