The white pavilion sparkled in the garden like a crown resting on velvet.
Its stone columns, as pale as fresh milk, were delicately etched with swirling patterns of roses and vines.
Above, the dome's inner surface caught the sunlight, casting a soft, muted glow that enveloped the space.
Built for beauty rather than necessity, it was meant to be a retreat,a place where voices could soften and the weight of the Dominion Sanctum's power felt distant.
But this morning? That weight was all too present.
The air crackled with tension following Arthur's revelation, heavy enough that it seemed even the walls had been eavesdropping.
The pavilion had always been a place for leisure, yet today, the five young women gathered inside felt far too restless to relax.
Ashley leaned forward impatiently, her elbows propped on the table.
Her eyes flickered from one cousin to another, searching for answers to questions she couldn't quite articulate.
