When they arrived at the door of her chamber, two attendants bowed deeply and stepped aside. The Empress did not allow them in. Instead, she lifted her hand in a simple gesture, and the attendants retreated down the hall, leaving Lucas alone with her.
She pushed the door open herself and stepped inside with a fluid grace that betrayed her powerful cultivation, Lucas entered after her.
She walked deeper into the room without speaking, then turned and faced him. Her expression was serene, yet something simmered beneath the surface, something he could not quite read.
"Close the door," she said.
Her voice was calm, but there was a firmness in it that made Lucas obey immediately. He moved to the door and pushed it shut.
When he faced her again, the Empress was standing still, her eyes fixed on him with a depth that unsettled him. For a moment, she said nothing. She simply observed him, as if searching for something beneath the surface of his polite composure.
