Vlad could hear the rustling of fabric as he sat on the floor on his legs, his head lowered and his eyes closed. The carpet was soft beneath his knees.
"Now, explain yourself," Seraphina demanded in a low, cold tone. Her voice had lost all warmth.
"May I open my eyes now?" Vlad asked, his voice cautious.
"Aren't you a bit too late to show courtesy now?" she retorted, annoyance clear in her tone.
Vlad remained silent, his head still bowed.
"Open your eyes," she said, a low sigh escaping her lips.
Vlad slowly opened his eyes, finding her sitting cross-legged at the edge of the bed in a pink night suit and shorts. Her long, slender legs were partially illuminated by the soft moonlight streaming through the window. Strands of crimson hair fell over her shoulders as she looked down at him with her glowing pink eyes, her expression unreadable.
