After his time with Khione and Nivea came to an end, Nathan left that secluded space with clear reluctance weighing on his steps. No matter how many times he experienced it, parting from them always felt heavier than it should have. The warmth of their presence lingered with him even as reality reclaimed its hold, and soon enough, he found himself back within the chamber assigned to him inside the Theatre of Pompey.
The room was vast—lavish even by Roman standards. Marble columns lined the walls, faintly illuminated by oil lamps, while fine draperies cascaded from the ceiling and framed the wide balcony doors. It was a room reserved for guests of exceptional importance, befitting Nathan's current standing in Rome, a standing earned not through birthright alone, but through deeds that had shaken empires.
