Lyra's POV
Within moments, chaos erupted throughout the room. Lilly bolted toward the door to place urgent calls. The guard escorted Beta Flores and the scribe away from the meeting. A fresh wave of guards flooded in, their boots echoing against the stone floor.
Alaric barked orders, sending them to various positions around the chamber. Large maps were spread across tables with practiced efficiency. Guards murmured into their palms before releasing tiny sparks of light into the air like magical messengers. Alaric began his restless pacing while the rest of them watched the organized pandemonium unfold.
"What do you believe their strategy might be?" Alaric directed his question toward Vivienne. She pressed her finger against her lips, deep in contemplation.
"The intelligence we have received remains insufficient," she replied. "They could be assembling forces. They might be biding their time. What I can determine is that they want us aware of their presence."
