Damon's POV
The study was crowded and tense, the air thick with a mixture of anticipation and frustration. Maps were spread across the wide oak table, their edges curling from age and use. Eya stood near the window, her lips moving silently as she worked on a locator spell. Ezra and Mathias hovered nearby, their expressions grim, while Tabby paced the length of the room like a caged tiger.
Arlo, of course, seemed completely unfazed by the tension. He leaned against the table, his coat sweeping the floor as he toyed with a pen, his eyes scanning the room like this was some mildly entertaining play he’d stumbled into.
“Any progress?” I asked, glancing toward Eya.
“Nothing yet,” she said through gritted teeth, her hands moving over a bowl of herbs and ash. “But I’m close.”
“You’re wastin
