Echo.

I sat alone in my chamber, the weight of recent events pressing down on me like a heavy cloak. Thoughts of Caesar and the love that had unexpectedly blossomed between us also swirled in my mind.

The room was dimly lit by a single candle, casting flickering shadows on the walls, when the door to my chamber swung open. I turned, startled, to see a maid standing in the doorway. Her eyes widened as she took in my disheveled appearance, a stark contrast to the elegant dress she held in her arms.

"Apologies, my lady," she stammered, her voice quivering. "The lycan king has sent me to dress you...