A full day passed, and Selene finally felt calm and serene.
The constant, nagging sensation of sothing knocking at her mind had disappeared, leaving her with a newfound clarity.
The calmness was a luxury, and she intended to make the most of it.
With a clear head, she decided it was ti to address a lingering issue—the dungeon and the negotiations with the governnt.
She approached Ethan as he lounged on the couch, a book resting on his chest.
"I’m heading to the governnt facility to negotiate about the dungeon. Co with ?"
Ethan’s eyes shifted up to et hers, and he closed the book with a soft thud.
"Of course. I wouldn’t miss it."
They prepared quickly and made their way to the governnt facility. From the mont they arrived, Selene felt the change in the air.
There was a buzz of unrest beneath the surface, a current of tension that set her on edge.
Officials and workers rushed through the halls, faces tight with anxiety. They moved with purpose, but it was clear that order was hanging by a thread.
The usual decorum had cracked, exposing the chaos beneath.
Selene slowed her pace, her eyes sharp as she took in the scene.
"Sothing’s wrong."
She murmured.
Ethan’s expression mirrored her concern.
"Should we turn back?"
"No. We’re here now. We might as well find out what’s going on."
They continued deeper into the building, eventually reaching the eting room.
Selene paused at the door, a prickle of unease crawling up her spine. She activated her Insight, and what she found made her stomach twist.
There was soone volatile inside the room.
The ntal energy radiating from within was like a storm, chaotic and lashing out. It crashed against her senses, raw and uncontained.
The familiarity of it made her flinch—there was no mistaking it.
Rose Grayson.
She gripped her head as a sharp ache pierced her mind. Ethan noticed imdiately, his body tensing.
"Do you want to handle this?"
He asked, his voice low but dangerous.
Selene steadied herself and lowered her hands.
"No. Don’t do anything stupid or rash."
Ethan’s jaw tightened, but he nodded.
"Fine. But I’m not letting my guard down."
Just as she reached for the door, it swung open from the inside.
A governnt official stood there, his face paling when he saw them. His surprise was poorly masked, and his attempt to greet them with composure fell flat.
"Ah, Miss Selene, Mr. Ethan. Please, co in."
He stamred, stepping aside.
The room they entered was a pressure cooker.
The air felt heavy, thick with unspoken words and suppressed emotions.
Governnt officials sat around the long table, their postures rigid and their eyes darting to the man who stood near the window—Rose Grayson.
Rose’s back was to them, his shoulders taut, hands gripping the windowsill hard enough that his knuckles had turned white.
The light streaming through the glass cast a shadow over him, and the volatile energy around him seed to pulse in rhythm with his breathing.
Selene kept her expression neutral, though her mind raced.
She hadn’t expected to see him here, not so soon. And certainly not in such a fragile state.
But it did make one thing clear for her.
’Ah, so Rose Grayson was the bastard who decided to use his abilities on . Justice is more of a shitty place than I thought. I better be careful.’
Ethan stood close to her, a solid presence that helped anchor her. His gaze swept over the room, noting every exit, every wary glance directed their way.
Selene took her seat at the long, polished table, and Ethan settled into the chair beside her.
She forced herself to focus on the eting ahead, but the weight of Rose Grayson’s stare bore into her, sharp and unrelenting.
His gaze felt like a knife against her skin, slicing through her composure. She kept her expression neutral, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of seeing her squirm.
Rose sat across from her, his posture deceptively casual.
His fingers tapped rhythmically against the tabletop, but his eyes remained fixed on Selene. There was nothing kind in his stare—only a dark curiosity, a desire to unnerve her.
Every so often, Rose tried to interject, directing a question or a comnt at Selene.
His words were smooth, but the intention behind them was anything but. He wanted to draw her into his web, to test the limits of her patience and resolve.
But Ethan was a wall between them.
Each ti Rose attempted to bridge the gap, Ethan cut him off with a sharp remark or a redirect.
His tone remained polite, but his body language spoke volus—leaning slightly forward, shoulders squared, and every muscle ready to spring into action if needed.
The dynamic quickly beca clear.
Rose could not reach Selene, not through words and certainly not through intimidation.
With every failed attempt, his irritation grew more evident. His fingers ceased their tapping and instead dug into the wood of the table, knuckles pale against his skin.
Finally, his patience snapped. Rose stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor with a harsh screech. The room fell silent, every official halting mid-sentence.
"This is pointless. If this is how you intend to handle negotiations, then there’s nothing more to discuss."
Rose declared, his voice tight with barely restrained anger.
The officials exchanged nervous glances, their earlier confidence crumbling.
One of them, a middle-aged man with a silver pin on his lapel, rose to his feet and attempted to placate Rose.
"Mr. Grayson, please. Let’s not end things so abruptly. We can find a way to—"
Rose’s glare silenced him. Without another word, Rose stord out of the room, the heavy door slamming shut behind him.
A strained quiet settled over the room. The officials shifted uncomfortably, clearly aware of the power struggle that had just unfolded and uncertain of where to place their loyalties.
The silver-pinned official cleared his throat and addressed Selene with a cautious tone.
"Perhaps it would be best if you returned for the ti being, Miss Shadow. We... need ti to assess the situation."
And just like that, Selene was kicked out of the eting.
Reviews
All reviews (0)