"Silence!"
The single word cracked through the air like a whip, and for a moment the entire hall seemed to hold its breath. Shadows stirred across the damp stone walls, stretching longer, darker—as if the very darkness itself thickened in response to his voice.
Niomi's wide eyes trembled, dazed, still struggling to process the audacity of what the man before her had just declared. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came, her throat tightening as if bound by invisible chains.
Violet, however, reacted almost instantly. The gleam of her violet-hued eyes narrowed to sharp slits, dangerous and unyielding. Her instincts honed by years of blood, betrayal, and survival screamed at her—this young man was no ordinary jailer. Her piercing gaze raked over him, dissecting his every movement, searching for the truth hidden beneath that too-charming smile.
