Sera's Pov
It had been two days since the explosion.
Two long, quiet, crawling days.
And still, I hadn't seen Lucian.
Not even once.
Which… wasn't normal.
He wasn't the type to vanish, especially after something like this. The Lucian I knew would've torn the entire fortress apart if he thought answers were hidden in the stone.
But instead—silence.
The kind that made your skin itch.
The fortress had changed overnight. Gone was the confident hum of training, chatting, and commanders barking orders with that gruff, familiar rhythm. Now it was muted. People walked slower. Voices dipped into whispers. Eyes flitted constantly over shoulders like someone—or something—might be listening.
