Before dawn had fully broken, when the world still lingered in that fragile, suspended state between night and morning, Dylan Brooks opened his eyes.
He didn’t wake gradually.
There was no grogginess, no transition.
One moment he was resting, the next—his consciousness snapped into perfect clarity.
Because something was wrong.
A faint, almost imperceptible fluctuation drifted through the air.
Ordinary people wouldn’t notice it. Even trained professionals might overlook it.
But to Dylan—
It was unmistakable.
Killing intent.
A cold, razor-thin thread of murderous aura had seeped into Highwyrm Hold, spreading silently through its courtyards, rooftops, and corridors like an unseen poison.
Dylan’s pupils contracted sharply.
“So… someone came to avenge Cody Chandler?”
The thought pa
