The room Queen Liza had given them seemed less like guest quarters and more like a royal wing temporarily disguised as diplomatic courtesy. It was too spacious, too silent, too luxurious. The walls were made of polished black stone, crossed by red veins that glowed softly like blood beneath marble. Heavy curtains covered the tall windows, but let a sliver of the vampiric capital's eternal night escape through. Outside, distant towers shone with crimson lanterns, and the shadows of nocturnal birds crossed the dark sky.
The bed at the center of the room was enormous, with columns carved from dark wood and black silk sheets. There were sofas, a table with fruit, wine, water, tea, blank parchments, ink, communication crystals, and even a small silver bell to call servants. Naturally, Kael had not touched any of it.
He was lying in the middle of the bed, still dressed, with his red hair spread over the pillow and his eyes fixed on the ceiling.
