Towering shelves of dark wood held rows of leather-bound tomes. The air was warm, tinged with rare perfume and the faint smoke of candles just snuffed out. At the center stood a massive desk, carved with intricate detail, cluttered with maps, sealed documents, and a chessboard set with ivory and onyx pieces locked in mid-battle.
Prince Felix Cain lounged behind it, his midnight-blue silk robe draped perfectly over a velvet chair. His delicate, uncalloused fingers toyed with a glass of deep red wine, the liquid catching the light like frozen blood.
Half-reclined, he leaned against the armrest of a bright green velvet sofa, an almost jarring contrast to his attire. In the middle of the room, the butler busied himself with setting down the wine bottle he had just poured into his master's glass.
