"Please wait a moment."
A calm voice echoed from the shadows as a white-haired woman stepped forward, blocking the path of a maid dressed in a crisp black uniform.
The maid's eyes narrowed, a low growl escaping her throat. "Sage Artimus… I take this interruption as a breach of our contract."
The woman before her—Artimus, the same sage who hadn't emerged from her chamber in years—lowered her head slightly, her tone even. "I assure you, I have no intention of putting Hades's life at risk. But you must understand... this confrontation is necessary."
It was the first time in a long while that Artimus had shown herself. Until now, she had remained hidden, watching from the dark, allowing Hades to grow on his own—waiting for the moment he would discover the truth buried within him.
She wanted him to accept his other side.
And there could be no better time than now, when both his and his companion's lives hung in the balance.
