Dydra stepped out of the Old Queen's chamber, the heavy doors closing softly behind her, yet the weight of the encounter lingered.
Her mind refused to settle.
The Queen's words echoed, sharp and deliberate, as though each one had been placed with careful intent. Dydra had faced many people—nobles, guards, servants—but never had she encountered someone quite like that. The Old Queen's gaze alone had felt as though it could peel through layers, uncovering things Dydra had not even spoken aloud.
Her fingers instinctively brushed against the scarf covering her hair.
Was she truly that obvious?
Even with this?
The thought unsettled her more than she cared to admit.
Lost in her spiraling thoughts, she moved down the corridor without paying much attention to where she was going. The palace stretched wide and grand around her, but in that moment, it may as well have not existed at all.
And then—
Impact.
Dydra collided with something—or rather, someone.
