Chapter 1033 - The Weight of a Promise

The council concluded not with a bang, but with the quiet, determined scrape of chairs against the floor. A plan had been forged in the grim reality of our situation, and now came the infinitely harder task of executing it. The air in the conference room thinned as my family dispersed, each a whirlwind of purpose. Alastor and Rachel were already in a low, intense conversation, their hands gesturing over a holographic schematic of the estate's training facilities. Cecilia was a blur of regal efficiency, stepping into a side chamber to begin the monumental task of weaving a political shield around us, her voice a crisp, commanding presence even through the thick glass. Seraphina and Reika shared a single, sharp nod and moved off together, the silent understanding of swordswomen on a shared path needing no words.