The door closed behind Vahn with a sound that was barely audible, yet it felt impossibly loud in the quiet of Celestine's chamber.
The room was nothing like the public halls of her residence.
There were no grand banners. No imperial sigils carved into every surface. No oppressive reminder of hierarchy or power. Instead, the space was intimate, warm, and restrained. Soft light flowed from crystal lamps embedded in the walls, casting gentle reflections across pale stone and polished wood. Tall windows revealed the Core World's endless cityscape below, layers of light drifting like constellations turned inside out.
Celestine stood near the window, her back to him.
