Whether she was inviting him to a private conquest, a lethal political trap, or a confession of her true bloodline, Lexel didn't particularly care. He simply uncrossed his arms, a ghost of his signature smirk returning to his face.
"Alright," Lexel said.
Seravine's eyes flashed with a triumphant, predatory gleam. She turned gracefully on her heel, the silks of her royal gown swirling around her ankles as she gestured toward the open door of the luxurious black-and-gold carriage.
"After you, Hero of Jaar," she murmured.
Lexel didn't hesitate. Wearing nothing but a loosely tied bathrobe and a pair of simple house slippers, he casually stepped past the bowing royal guards and climbed into the plush, velvet-lined interior of the carriage. Seravine followed immediately after him, the heavy wooden door clicking shut behind her with a definitive, isolating thud.
Outside, Halveth and the estate guards could only watch in stunned, silent bewilderment.
