Kael woke in the middle of the "night" without immediately opening his eyes.
In the Vampire Kingdom, the word night seemed almost redundant. The entire capital lived beneath a dark sky, under crimson lanterns and a cold mist that made the world seem trapped between twilight and an ancient dream. Even so, there was a subtle difference at that hour. The palace was quieter. The patrols walked with more distant steps. Even the mana in the walls seemed to breathe more slowly.
He remained still for a few seconds.
