The palace came into view long before they reached it.
Its towering spires pierced the night sky, dark and imposing, bathed in torchlight that flickered like restless spirits against ancient stone. From a distance, Nacrifa looked unshakable, untouched by fear, war, or the chaos that lurked beyond its walls.
Aliena knew better now.
She walked beside Sebastian in silence, the forest still clinging to her skin, the scent of damp earth, pine resin, and moonlit danger. Her body ached pleasantly from the hunt, but it was nothing compared to the awareness humming beneath her skin. An awareness that had nothing to do with exhaustion.
Everything to do with him.
The hunt however was thrilling, she had never gone hunting before. It was prohibited in the mundane world, they had animal laws which stopped people from killing animals.
