Sonya/Sienna
Something was wrong.
I felt it in the air the moment I stepped out of the bedchamber and into the wide hallway of the Manor.
The energy was different, tense, and static like the moments before a storm breaks.
I could hear the distant shuffle of boots, the rhythmic march of disciplined warriors, the clink of armor shifting with every precise step.
Alan came up behind me, his brow drawn as he peered out of the window. I followed his gaze.
Dozens of guards were scattered around the estate like shadows brought to life.
They stood in formation, blocking every corner, every entrance, every possible exit.
Their presence was suffocating, their movements, intentional. And I knew better than anyone what it meant when they were deployed.
My chest tightened, though I forced m
