The silence of the villa, which until yesterday gave a sense of safety, had now begun to feel heavy. Kavya looked outside through the window, where the dense forest was wrapped in mist. The Council’s army had retreated, but it had created such an invisible blockade around the villa that not even a bird could pass through. The blue glow in Kavya’s fingers had dimmed, but it was running through her veins like a cold fire.
Agni stepped into the room. There was no longer the same aggression in his walk, but a weariness of deep contemplation. He closed the door and came to stand directly beside Kavya. He placed his hand on her shoulder, but this time he did not pull her toward himself. He was simply feeling the tension that had spread through the air in the room.
"The Council has stopped maki
