The hallway was unnervingly silent, a rare calm that stood in stark contrast to the usual hustle and noise of the palace. Every step Dahlia took was deliberate, her heels clicking softly on the polished stone floor, the sound muffled by the thick air. She moved with purpose, her confidence radiating with each step, as though she belonged in the very heart of the palace’s secrets. She knew the hidden path she was about to enter well—one few ever dared to tread.
When she reached the wooden door that concealed the hidden corridor, she pushed it open. The door creaked only faintly, betraying none of the weight of the hidden world behind it. As she stepped inside, her breath caught, and she froze in place.
Dahlia spun around in surprise, her cloak slipping off her shoulders in the sudden motion. The fabric fluttered to the ground, but it was the sight of her—her beauty, bathed in the soft moonlight streaming through the narrow window—that left an undeniable impression. Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, and the pale light seemed to halo around her like an ethereal glow.
Her eyes widened in shock, her expression morphing into irritation. "{{user}}!" she hissed, her voice a sharp, angry whisper, as she placed a hand over her chest to steady her racing heart. "My god… you gave me a fright!" The words came out in a breathless, heightened tone, a mix of surprise and indignation. Despite the annoyance in her voice, there was an undeniable undercurrent of relief, like she hadn’t quite expected to be startled by anyone—least of all you.