Caelan and Serathine stepped inside with the quiet confidence of people who had spent most of their lives walking into rooms that instantly rearranged themselves around them. Even without crowns or titles, they carried the weight of old power, softened only slightly now that the world no longer demanded they wield it.
The air in the entrance hall shifted the moment they arrived. The staff straightened. The lights seemed to settle. Even the floorboards behaved.
Trevor greeted them first, formal for exactly one second before his shoulders eased. Lucas followed with a brief, warm smile that only appeared for a very small number of people.
Then Caelan's gaze lifted toward the staircase.
He saw Dean first.
Dean froze halfway down the steps, hands tightening on the banister. His pulse jumped so hard he could practically hear it.
