Zane~
Three minutes. That's how long it took Sebastian to get from the palace gates to my private chambers. And yet, those three minutes felt like eternity. I paced the living room like a madman—well, a well-dressed madman in ceremonial silk and finely polished boots, but a madman all the same. The air smelled of waxed wood, cold stone, and a trace of lavender—Natalie's doing, no doubt. She always said I needed something calming in my space. I should've listened sooner.
Then the door flew open.
"Whoa." Sebastian's voice rang in the air, low and amused. "You look like you're about to pass out."
I spun around, glaring. "Do I?"
He leaned casually against the frame, arms crossed, dressed like he stepped out of a vampire fashion magazine. Sharp black suit, blood-red pocket square, and a smirk that screamed trouble. His jet-black hair was slicked back as always, every strand defying gravity like it owed him money.
