Royal of Darkness

Previously

…Servants, dressed in somber, dark livery, moved with silent efficiency, their faces impassive. They bowed as we passed, their gazes never lingering, but I felt their eyes on me, assessing, curious. I was an anomaly in this world of shadows and ancient power. Valerius led me through a labyrinth of corridors, each turn revealing more of the manor’s grandeur and its inherent mystery. He spoke little, but his every gesture, every glance, conveyed a sense of ownership, of possessiveness that sent a shiver down my spine. He guided me into a vast library, where floor-to-ceiling bookshelves were crammed with volumes bound in leather so dark it seemed to absorb the light. A