Voren hadn't been expecting either of them to show up that day, not Seraphine and certainly not Corvine, so the moment Corvine walked into his office alone, something about it immediately felt off, like a missing piece in a picture that was supposed to be complete.
His eyes lingered on the doorway a second longer than necessary, almost as if he expected Seraphine to appear behind him at any moment, and when she didn't, the faint crease forming between his brows gave away his irritation before he even spoke.
"Why isn't she with you?" he asked, his tone direct and edged with a quiet impatience as he motioned for Corvine to take a seat.
Corvine exhaled softly as he settled across from him, already anticipating the reaction. "There was a chemical explosion at the pack," he began, his voice steady but carrying enough weight to draw Voren's full attention. "Ravyn asked for her help. She refused at first, but then he involved his parents, and that changed things."
