There Is No Lie In This World

Luc did not explain where we were going, only that it was "customary."

I was still recovering from the dream I had, but strangely, with Luc by my side I thought even if such things happened in real life she would come and save me.

However, "customary" was never comforting.

I dreaded breaking rules, but following the rules was no easier. There were always questions - What are the rules? Do I understand them correctly? What if there are some rules that I missed? What if rules have changed? What if I’m with a group of people who actually hate these rules? Wouldn’t acting ’customary’ make me look bad?

Rules. They were all just suffocatingly scary whether they existed or not.

Nevertheless, I followed now my trustworthy assistant through another hidden hallway that I wasn’t sure I could find again by myself. This wing of the Roen Tower felt like a sanctum, untouched by footsteps, or if they did, any and all traces were erased. As if nothing happened.

Velvet carpeting muted the sound of our movement. Dim lights hung on the walls.

The deeper we walked, the older the air felt - not dusty, but heavy, like it had absorbed the silence of generations.

2

"This room is typically not visited by the heir," Luc said, her voice quiet, respecting the silence. "Traditionally, the items are curated. Delivered in selection."

"What items?"