Chapter 69: Quiet Menace
The midday sun hung high and golden over Valerius's manor, glinting off white stone walls and turning neatly trimmed hedges into bright green waves.
But inside the great hall, the air felt heavy — thick with unspoken questions, quiet tension, and the faint hum of secrets that refused to stay buried.
Hannah stood near the large oak table covered in maps, her fingers brushing unconsciously at the egg hidden beneath her tunic.
It pulsed softly, a steady, quiet drain on her mana that left her limbs slightly heavy, magic thin and stretched even after a full night's rest.
Beside her, Mimi twisted a small vial of clear healing liquid between her fingers, blue eyes sharp with quiet worry.
Bart leaned against a stone pillar, arms crossed, his usual gruffness softened into alert patience.
Mike stood near the hall's entrance, bow loose at his side, gaze drifting toward the woods as if still half-expecting trouble.
