The Citadel remained in a state of tense alert for nearly two hours before Dorian finally brought word that the perceived threat had retreated beyond the eastern border without engaging the fortress directly.
Clara had spent those hours in the private wing with Leo, holding her son close while guards secured every entrance, her mind cycling through worst possibilities despite her efforts to remain calm for his sake. Leo, sensing her fear despite her careful composure, had curled silently against her side, uncharacteristically subdued by the obvious tension gripping the fortress around them.
Dorian arrived breathless but relieved, his report offering the first genuine ease Clara had felt since the guard's initial warning shattered the fragile moment in the garden. "A scouting party, we be
