The parchment sat unopened on Lucien's desk, its seal like a crimson eye staring back at all of them. No one spoke at first. The fire in the grate hissed softly, and the scent of damp leather from Lucien's coat lingered in the air.
Liora stood to the side, her arms folded, trying to ignore the way her pulse thudded. The two strange guards waited near the door, their faces impassive, their armor marked with a faint black-and-gold insignia, one she didn't recognize.
Lucien didn't move until Rowan stepped forward. "Are you going to read it, or shall I?"
That earned him a sharp look, but Lucien finally broke the seal. His eyes flicked over the contents, and for the briefest moment, a shadow crossed his face, gone almost before she could register it.
"It's a summons," he said flatly. "The Queen Dowager requests my presence. Alone."
"Requests?" Rowan arched a brow. "That word doesn't appear in her vocabulary."
Liora shifted uncomfortably. "Do you think it's about..."
