Cassiopeia continued to stare out the window, a worried look on her face. Lin sensed her discomfort and asked softly what was wrong. Cassiopeia groaned and said that two weeks had passed since the coronation without the new Emperor, Magnus, paying her a single visit.
Lin, ever the soothing voice, tried to calm Cassiopeia's fears with words of reassurance. She speculated that the Emperor was either overwhelmed by his new duties or distracted with governmental affairs. But Cassiopeia could not dismiss the persistent suspicion that something was wrong.
The door to Cassiopeia's room swung open as dusk settled over the palace and she dried off from her bath. Magnus walked in, his demeanor authoritative and his expression unreadable. He ordered the attendants, including Lin, to leave him and t
