Marcelina

Their words carve a line of ice down my spine. This is no simple anomaly; it's a harbinger. "And the people?" I ask, though I know the answer. Their safety is my eternal charge, their unease my burden.

"Anxious, but your speech quelled the panic for now. They trust you, Marcelina. But they need reassurance that this threat will be contained," Penny says, her eyes meeting mine with unwavering loyalty.

"Then we must not delay." I survey the maps, tracing the lines ...