A Web of Lies

The flickering streetlights of Verdonia cast long, jagged shadows on the cracked pavement as Anastasia walked beside Maximilian. The streets, once filled with the hum of life, now felt like a void—silent, tense, waiting. The city held its breath with them, as though it sensed the storm that was about to break. Anastasia tightened her coat against the biting chill, though it did little to fend off the cold feeling of dread that had settled deep in her chest. The anonymous note had struck a nerve, and its threat echoed relentlessly in her mind.

"Walk away, or the cost will be your lives."