Esme – POV
I sat inside the Imperial Magic Tower, waiting to meet the head mage responsible for overseeing the Eastborne region.
A woman entered briskly, her wavy black hair swaying with every step. She stopped in front of me, her onyx eyes locking onto mine. She was beautiful.
She offered a graceful curtsy. "Greetings, Empress Esme."
"Lilac. You wanted to see me," I murmured.
"Yes, Lady Esme. I need to run a few tests on you," she whispered. "May I proceed?"
I nodded.
Her long, elegant fingers began to move through the air, almost like she was playing an invisible piano. Magic flowed from her fingertips, swirling around me in mesmerizing patterns. It looked beautiful—but it felt like needles piercing into my skin.
"It hurts," I whimpered.
"I can't stop the process, Lady Esme. It will take about an hour," Lilac said, concern flashing in her eyes.
The pain intensified. All I could do was moan, helpless—until Liam walked in. His eyes widened in surprise at the scene.
