Magnus forgot to breathe.
For a second, all he could do was stare at Roman. The room pressed in on him, the air thick, almost suffocating, as if the walls had quietly inched closer while he wasn't looking.
He forced a breath in slowly and let it out just as carefully before stepping inside.
Every eye in the room followed him. The weight of their attention settled across his shoulders as he moved forward, the faint echo of his footsteps too loud against the polished floor.
His gaze flicked from one face to another, panel members seated in a rigid line, unreadable, watchful. Assessing. Judging.
For the first time, Magnus couldn't immediately tell where he stood.
As he walked, a single thought circled quietly in his mind. Was he being called to lead, or to answer?
Across the table, Roman watched him with unsettling ease. A faint smile tugged at his lips, controlled but unmistakable.
