Jun Kai did not speak until they were inside.
The door shut behind them with a quiet but final sound... not loud, but decisive. It was the kind of sound that sealed space, that declared privacy without announcement.
The chamber assigned to him was not ostentatious, yet it was unmistakably reserved for someone of rank. A wide bed stood against the inner wall, carved from dark polished wood that caught the lantern light in muted sheen. A folding screen painted with distant mountains divided the resting space from the entry. Near the lattice window, a low table held a neatly arranged tea set, every piece aligned with disciplined precision. The faint scent of sandalwood incense lingered in the air, steady and grounding.
A place of rest.
A place of authority.
Jun Kai turned immediately.
"Out."
The attendants froze.
"Your High..."
"I said out."
His voice was not raised. It did not need to be.
