He pushed himself up from the floor, rolling his shoulders as the last of the strain faded from his muscles. The room still carried a faint residual warmth, and the scent of heated air clung to the fabric of his robe.
Outside the window, the afternoon light had shifted further toward gold. Somewhere deeper in the castle, the Duke and the Count were likely still sleeping off the morning's wine, while their wives handled other affairs.
Julian moved to the basin in the corner and splashed cool water over his face and neck. The mischievous smile lingered a moment longer in the reflection before he smoothed it away, replacing it with the calm expression that the rest of the castle expected from him.
**
Meanwhile, in the guest room, the scene was entirely different from the rest of the castle.
