"Expected. The ten thousand gold bounty would attract multiple attempts."
"You're remarkably calm."
"Panic would impair decision-making. Calm is more efficient."
Duke Romian shook his head slightly. "I'm beginning to understand why people find you unsettling."
"Do you find me unsettling?"
"No. I find you refreshing. But I'm not most people."
They reached the entrance. Two imperial guards stood at attention, announcing arrivals.
"His Grace, Duke Romian Ashford," one guard called out in a carrying voice. "And Her Highness, Fourth Princess Elara Blackwood."
The doors opened.
The dining hall was massive—easily large enough to hold three hundred people. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting brilliant light across white marble floors. Long tables were arranged in a U-shape, with the Emperor's throne-like chair at the center of the head table.
