The evening had settled upon the palace with a calm that felt deceiving. The sun, now low in the sky, spilled its golden-orange hues across the floor of the drawing room. The light filtered in through the wide terrace doors, their heavy velvet curtains drawn open, allowing the gentle breeze to flow through.

The room was spacious, though not overwhelmingly large—elegantly proportioned, with a thick, cream-colored carpet spread across the floor. The scent of sandalwood lingered in the air, soft and warm, carried in from the incense lit at the far corner of the room.