The tension in the room grew thick, each breath heavy with the weight of betrayal and defiance. Alden’s eyes burned with conviction, and Head Elder Thomas’s grip on my arm tightened, his fingers pressing painfully into my skin. But I stood firm, refusing to bow to their intentions, my resolve an iron wall against their schemes.
“You underestimate me, Elder Thomas,” I said, my voice low and steady. “I am not one to be swayed by manipulation, nor by threats.”
But just as I gathered my strength to break free, a sudden, chilling sound filled the air—a clink of metal, like chains dragging across stone, growing louder with each heartbeat. I stilled, a wave of dread washing over me as I searched the dim room for the source.
The sound grew louder, and then I saw him.
Leo.
He emerged from the
