53 A Hero

The study was bathed in the warm glow of a crackling fireplace, casting flickering shadows over the shelves of books and antique furniture that filled the space.

Maximilian Knight leaned against the imposing mahogany desk that dominated the room, his eyes fixed on the paper his butler, Casimir, had just handed him.

"Anything else?" Max inquired. "This is old news. It's just a repeat of what you previously provided."

"I apologize but I found nothing new, Your Highness," Casimir replied.

"What of the vampire she met in the forest?"

"He claims to know nothing of her, Your Highness. Only that she is the daughter of a fallen noble," Casimir reported.

"And what of the woman who brought her to Imperion?"

"Nothing, Your Highness. She merely procures women seeking passage to the Kingdom for a fee."