[Silthara Palace — The Malika's Chamber — Dawn]
Dawn crept slowly over Silthara Palace.
The first rays of sunlight touched the golden domes and high terraces of Zahryssar, turning the desert horizon into a sea of pale amber and rose. From the palace gardens below drifted the quiet murmur of fountains and the distant songs of morning birds greeting the rising sun.
Inside Malika's chamber, the night's warmth had not yet fully faded.
The heavy curtains stirred gently in the breeze as the morning light slipped through the carved lattice screens.
Upon the wide imperial bed, Levin stirred.
For several moments he remained still, his mind floating somewhere between sleep and waking. His body felt unusually warm, wrapped in the familiar scent of Zeramet's pheromones, which lingered across the silken sheets like invisible incense.
Slowly, Levin opened his eyes; the chamber was quiet.
Zeramet still slept beside him.
