Samuel stood like a shadow carved from ice and smoke. His black hair fell in sharp, slightly unruly strands, framing a face that was both striking and unyielding. Each movement was deliberate, precise, measured—never wasted. His red eyes were the most unsettling feature, glowing like embers beneath dark lashes, sharp enough to cut through the bravado of the nobility around him. They carried a quiet cruelty, a judgment, and an intelligence that always seemed three steps ahead.