Ashes and Accusations

VANESSA

The smell of smoke clung to everything. Even after hours of cleanup, the acrid scent permeated the walls, the carpets, the very air we breathed. A constant reminder of how close we'd come to disaster.

I dragged my exhausted body through the charred corridor toward Leo's temporary quarters. My muscles ached from the attack, but rest wasn't an option. Not now. Not with so many questions unanswered.

Security teams lined the hallways, their eyes tracking my every move. Some wore Silver Claw colors. Others bore the Moonstone insignia. An uneasy alliance formed in blood and ash.

I knocked on Leo's door, not bothering to soften the sound. Three sharp raps that echoed in the quiet hallway.

"Come in," my brother called.

I found him packing a small bag, his movements quick and purposeful. The sight sent alarm bells ringing in my head.

"Going somewhere?" I asked, leaning against the doorframe to hide the fact that I could barely stand.