NOLA
"Rhett," my dad whispered. "Did you... did you keep her safe?"
"She kept herself safe, Lawrence, I was mostly just the muscle," Rhett replied, his voice uncharacteristically soft. "But yes. The manor is secure. The Council has retreated."
My father closed his eyes for a moment, a look of immense relief washing over his pale face. But then, his expression shifted, his brow furrowing as he tried to pull himself upright. Silas stepped forward to adjust the pillows, but my father waved him off, his focus returning to us with a sudden, frantic urgency.
"The Council... they aren't the problem," my father said, his voice gaining strength, though it was still jagged and thin. "They are politicians, Rhett. They are greedy, and they are old, but they follow the rules. They are the least of
