I exhaled and lifted both arms to the side. The guard patted around my waist, legs, sleeves, then checked behind my back with practiced movements. His hands stopped for a second around my belt before he frowned slightly.
"No weapon?"
"I left it behind." I replied.
"Mm."
The other guard glanced at the old man. "He's clean?"
"Mostly." The old man said. "His stomach isn't."
"Shut up." I muttered.
The guards stepped aside after that. One of them pushed the large palace doors open, and warm air immediately brushed against my face.
The inside of the Royal Palace looked even more ridiculous than before. Tall pillars stretched toward the ceiling, each carved with golden patterns that curled around the stone like vines. Chandeliers hung overhead, their crystals glowing softly while servants moved quietly across the halls carrying trays, books, and folded sheets of cloth.
My boots echoed against the polished marble floor as I followed the old man deeper inside.
