Rain beat hard against the roof as Lin Xu led the Crown Prince down the quiet corridor.
She stopped in front of one of the guest rooms and slid the door open.
"This is the guest room," she said evenly. "It is simple, but it is clean."
The room was modest yet orderly. A wooden bed, a low table, a screen near the corner, and a single window that faced the courtyard. Nothing luxurious, nothing delicate just a space meant for rest.
Thunder rolled again, closer this time.
A strong gust of wind rushed in through the open window, rattling the lanterns and making the candle flame flicker wildly. The light wavered, shadows jumping along the walls.
Lin Xu frowned slightly.
"The wind is too strong," she said, stepping toward the window. "I'll close it."
She reached out and pushed, but the rain-soaked wind pushed back harder, forcing the frame open again. Her sleeves fluttered, hair lifting as the storm pressed in.
She tried again.
The window wouldn't budge.
