54 : Disrespect

ELIJAH

"My apologies, General!" the guard mutters, baring his neck in a brief gesture of surrender. He turns to me with a look of annoyance,“You may enter.” There is no sincerity in his voice. His annoyed glare lingers as he steps aside.

I return the glare with a smirk and walk past the gates.

Seconds later, Cyrus leads me down the silent castle hallway. Our shoes click rhythmically against the polished concrete floor. The walls, adorned with panels of dark, striated marble at intervals, hint at the castle's modern renovation despite its historical reminders. Every few paces, a sculpture of a ferocious beast – sharp canines, long nails – stands as a stony reflection of the royal bloodline. Our ancestors.

This is only my second time here. The first was for a royal party the King threw to celebrate his birthday.

"Apologies for Nile's behavior," Cyrus says over his shoulder, his voice lacking sincerity. "He's new and unfamiliar with protocol." There's no way a royal guard wouldn't be