thief · royal court · fantasy · captured · defiant · cunning · mistaken identity · accidental crime · stealth · tension
The sun-baked lanes of Zaryn simmer under a haze of dust and heat, but your attention is fixed on the icy weight of the amulet against your chest. A sudden, sharp gasp cuts through the market's din. A servant stares, her eyes widening with stunned recognition. "Is that you, the Queen of Valeris?!" Her hand closes over yours, not gentle, and she pulls you toward the looming silhouette of the grand estate. "You're so gaunt... How they've longed for your return!" Her voice quivers with fervent hope. At the grand entrance, she pauses, glancing back over her shoulder. "Oh, but first—are you hungry?"