(Chapter Title:Mira's POV)
The war room was heavy with tension. Shadows stretched across the stone walls, flickering beneath the glow of enchanted lanterns. I stood at the head of the table, my hands pressed against the cold surface, trying to steady the storm inside me. The air still reeked of blood—Alaric's blood. The memory of his death clung to me, cold and unyielding. I had killed my brother. Nothing would wash that away.
But there was no time for grief. Not with Callidus closing in.
"They won't stop." My voice cut through the silence, sharper than I intended. "Callidus sent his enforcers to deliver a message, and we sent one back. He'll retaliate." I lifted my gaze, meeting Lorenzo's eyes first. "We can't just sit here waiting to be torn apart."