The morning after the tense council meeting, Juliana found herself staring at the intricate patterns carved into her desk. The weight of Tiberius's betrayal lingered, his actions confirming her suspicions but leaving more questions than answers. If one councilman had turned against her, how many more were silently waiting to strike?
Hak entered the room, his presence grounding her in the storm of uncertainty. "We need to keep pressing," he said without preamble.
Juliana nodded. "There's more to this conspiracy, Hak. Tiberius was just a pawn."
Hak leaned against the desk, his piercing green eyes meeting hers. "You're right. And we have one place left to look—the Whispering Forest."
A Journey into the Unknown
Juliana and Hak left the castle quietly, accompanied only by two of Hak's most
