The warped silence inside the castle pressed heavier than any sound. The hum of fractured energy had quieted, but something lingered beneath it, a feeling. A shift. Like the world itself was holding its breath. None of them spoke. Not Lucien, whose usual sharp tongue was buried behind furrowed brows and a jaw set tight with thought. Not Sethis, whose hands turned his silver ring over and over with no trace of his usual lazy humor.
Not even Kaine, who paced the cracked floor like a caged predator, but slower. Edgier. More uncertain than angry. And Ashar, he stood where he always did. Silent. Still. Crystal gaze distant, focused somewhere far beyond what anyone else could see.
The tension snapped with Kaine’s voice. “Alright, no. No.” His hands clenched. "I’m done standing here like an i**
