The council hall was quieter the next morning, but the tension from the night before still hung in the air.

Lucien entered first. Reid was at his side this time, shoulders tense, while Nyla followed with arms folded, her eyes scanning the hall.

It wasn’t just another meeting, everyone could feel it. This was the kind of gathering where a single word might start a war.

Nicholas was already seated, his scarred face grim and unbending. Oliver sat beside him, his chair tilted ...