The return trip from Windermere left me drained, but I felt a strange comfort stepping back into the familiar confines of Idris’s estate. Cassandra greeted me with her usual calm demeanor and informed me that Idris and Gabriel had gone to handle a conflict near one of the merchant guilds under Idris's protection. Apparently, it was a minor issue, but enough to demand both of their attention.
I headed to my room, eager to relax and shake off the fatigue. However, my plans for a quiet afternoon unraveled when I heard heavy footsteps in the hall. Moments later, Tristan burst into the estate unannounced.
His sudden appearance made all the servants nervous, and also immediately put me on edge—he had been stirring up trouble for Idris lately, and his smirk as he stepped inside did little to
