There was a long, heavy silence when Hani asked that question. It wasn't just quiet—it was the kind of silence that pressed against her ears, thick and suffocating, as if even the air didn't dare move. It was the question that had been festering beneath the surface of every whispered conversation, every bit of speculation, every frantic report. It was a fear everyone danced around but never said aloud.
If the grimoire had chosen a villain.
Just thinking the phrase sent a chill down her spine. The implications were catastrophic. The grimoire choosing a villain meant disaster woven into fate itself. No matter how strong the city's protectors were, no matter how well-trained the families were, no matter how much security the Library boasted, it wouldn't matter. A chosen villain wielding a grimoire wasn't just dangerous; it was apocalyptic.
But the alternative wasn't hope, either.
