Aizere's Point of View
The calm of the Sanctum was shattered not by a bell or a shout, but by a woman who stepped through the heavy doors with a measured, steady pace. She didn't run; she simply walked toward Alaric, her expression neutral and her voice level.
"Master Alaric," she said, her tone devoid of any alarm. "There is a man at the main perimeter. He is calling for Aizere. He appears to be under the impression that she has been taken against her will, and his emotional state is escalating."
I didn't wait to hear the rest. The description was enough to send a jolt of recognition through me. I bolted from the Sanctum, my boots echoing against the stone floor. As I burst into the common hall, I skidded to a halt.
Ezrain, Niklaus, and Victoria were already there, gathered around a
