Kao escorted me to the prince's chamber door before heading to the kitchen for food. His pale fingers lingered on the doorframe for a moment, like a hesitant bat, their knuckles whitening as if resisting some unseen force. The torchlight flickered across his gaunt face, casting shadows that deepened the hollows beneath his eyes.
After silently freezing all the vampires inside with my mind, I stepped into the chamber. My fair, bare feet landed on the tawny embroidered carpet, the threads whispering against my skin like ghostly sighs. My arches traced an elegant arc, as if stepping onto cool, soft fresh snow, the sensation sending a shiver up my spine—both soothing and unnerving.
