The palace loomed higher than Jae had expected, its spires piercing the midday sky like sharpened spears. The carriage wheels rattled over polished stone as they passed through gates plated with iron and gold.
Guards lined the path, their spears glinting in the sun, faces expressionless as statues. Jae leaned slightly toward the window, red eyes tracing the sheer scale of the architecture, the sweeping arches, the banners hanging heavy with the king's crest, the way every corner seemed crafted not merely for function but for dominance.
The carriage came to a smooth halt in the central courtyard. Before Jae could even step down, the door was pulled open by a servant in crisp uniform.
Standing just beyond him was a man whose presence demanded attention, not through force but by the effortless weight of authority.
His robes were a dark emerald embroidered with golden thread, the hem whispering across the stone as he stepped forward.
