On the day Lara was summoned to the royal palace, Gideon and the twins flanked her like silent sentinels. The palace gates loomed high under the golden early afternoon sun, casting short shadows across the cobblestone pathway. Mira trailed behind them, her presence announced with a flutter of skirts and a sugary smile. She insisted she had an appointment with Princess Ceres—an excuse, but none bothered to challenge her.
The group moved through gilded hallways and marble corridors until they reached the King's court. Lara's gaze locked on a familiar silhouette.
"Isn't that Kasmer?" she murmured as she approached the two who had just exited the king's court.
She looked again—yes, it was him. Kasmer stood beside a middle-aged man with silver-white hair, the two of them just exiting the court.
