The administrator's brow furrowed deeper, confusion twisting his features into a mask of unease.
"Were we expecting anyone from the dragon kin? Do we have the right preparations in place? Protocols, escorts, anything?"
"I'm not sure, sir," the PA replied, fingers flying over the datapad in a frantic check.
"We shouldn't have an appointment. Nothing on the schedule."
"Then what the hell is going on?!" The administrator's voice rose, laced with mounting tension.
He paced to the window, staring out at the starry vista beyond the domed city. Sweat beaded on his forehead despite the climate-controlled air.
"Find out what's happening now! And report the situation to me immediately."
"There will be no need for that," a cold voice interjected, slicing through the room like a blade of ice.
The voice was deep, resonant, and utterly unfamiliar, layered as if a thousand souls spoke in eerie unison, echoing from shadows that shouldn't exist.
