ARIA POINT OF VIEW.

The doors of the royal home opened wide as we stepped inside, and the shift from the open air into the heart of Damon’s domain was immediate.

The space swallowed sound, thick stone walls rising high above us, candles burning steadily along the corridors, their flames casting long shadows that moved like living things across the floor.

It was dark here, but not empty.

The darkness felt deliberate, protective, like a cloak drawn close.

Damon’s mother walked ahead of ...