The hallway behind him was a blur of whispers and fear, but Cassian didn't turn back. He followed the silent guard through winding marble corridors, each more lavish than the last. Gold-lined walls, velvet drapes, and glowing crystal lanterns cast soft light around them. But none of it comforted him.
His heartbeat hadn't slowed. His neck still stung from the memory of steel.
And his mind—his mind raced with questions he couldn't voice.
Why was he being spared?
Why had the Supreme Lord done nothing?
The guard said nothing as they climbed a final staircase, their steps echoing in the high-ceilinged hallway. Then they stopped before a tall set of doors carved from dark wood and painted with silver runes. The guard pushed them open.
Cassian blinked.
It was not a cell. Not a dungeon. It was… breathtaking.
