A large dining hall awaited him.
High ceilings stretched overhead, long windows lining the walls. At the center stood a massive wooden table. Four people were already seated, quietly eating as if Blake's arrival barely mattered.
For a moment, he lingered by the doorway, unsure whether he was supposed to say something.
No one looked up.
The only sounds were the faint clink of silverware and the dull hush of the room itself.
Blake's heart began to beat faster, a strange anxiety creeping in.
'…Right. Guess that answers most of my questions.'
He pulled out a chair and sat down.
Predictably, his place was set at the far end of the long table, comfortably distant from everyone else.
But the awkwardness didn't last long.
The moment he looked at the food, it vanished.
'Gosh… this looks amazing.'
Plates covered the table. Thick cuts of steak. Slices of roasted beef. Grilled fish. Rice cakes. Vegetables glazed in sauce. The kind of spread that felt excessive for only five people.
