The Vaelorian mansion was cloaked in silence, its grand halls dimly lit by the faint glow of wall sconces. The thick drapes had been drawn, allowing only slivers of moonlight to seep through, casting elongated shadows across the marble floors. The air was heavy with the scent of aged wood and faint embers from the fireplace that had long since died out.
Elion strode through the front entrance, his steps eerily soundless despite the polished surface beneath him. His dark coat hung over his shoulders, slightly damp from the mist that clung to the night air. He exhaled, rubbing his temples as exhaustion gnawed at his mind. The day had been long, his business far from resolved, and yet here he was, returning to a house that had felt increasingly unfamiliar since Raelynn's arrival.
