For several seconds after the stranger spoke, the forest clearing felt unnaturally still.
The night wind rustled through the tall trees surrounding the estate, carrying with it distant echoes of gunfire and collapsing stone from the mansion behind them. The battle was still raging there, but here in the clearing, everything had slowed down.
Vanessa kept her pistol trained on the man in front of her.
Her hands were steady, but her thoughts were not.
"You're saying Gale created the Circle," she said slowly, choosing her words carefully.
The stranger watched her with calm curiosity, as if studying how quickly she could piece together the truth.
"I said he helped build it," the man corrected gently. "That's not quite the same thing."
Marco shifted beside her and lowered his rifle slightly, though he didn't take his eyes off the stranger.
"Alright," he said, sounding both tired and irritated. "I'm going to need someone to start explaining things in full sentences now."
