I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I entered the small, dimly lit room, but the last thing I ever thought I’d see was the familiar markings on the parchment. My eyes traced the inked symbols, the coded messages, and the seals that screamed rebellion. This wasn’t just a letter. This was treason.
Axel.
I knew his loyalty had been wavering for some time, but I never imagined he’d take it this far. The betrayal felt like a physical blow to my chest, and the walls of the room seemed to close in around me. My hands trembled, the parchment slipping slightly in my grip as I tried to make sense of the twisted words before me.
“Damn it, Axel,” I muttered under my breath, my voice barely a whisper, as if saying it aloud might make it real.
I backed away, my heart racing, my mind struggling t
