The North Tower was a place of paradoxes. While the exterior was a grim monolith of grey stone, the interior of Alaric’s private quarters was a decadent fever dream. The walls were draped in heavy, velvet tapestries of deep violet and gold, and the floors were covered in furs from beasts that Mia didn’t recognize from any biology textbook.

But the center of the room was what truly terrified her.