Chapter 182 Royal Meeting

• Lupercus loomed silently like a steadfast pillar against the far wall, his presence commanding yet composed, with his broad, muscular arms folded across his chest. The low light of the room flickered across his features, highlighting the sharp lines of his jaw and the depths of his eyes. When our gazes met, he offered a curt nod, paired with a small flicker of a smile playing at the corners of his lips, which softened his otherwise stoic demeanor. I tilted my head slightly, giving him a small nod in return.
• Sargis stepped forward and effortlessly pulled out a chair for me. The wood creaked softly as it slid across the floor, a sound that momentarily cut through the silence. With a gentle smile, I murmured a soft "thank you," feeling the warmth of his gesture wrap around me like a blanket. He then seated himself beside me.
• “Thank you for gathering on short notice,” he began, sweeping his eyes across the table. “You all know why we’re here. The unrest we feared is no longer whispers, it grows bolder by the day. The vampires tighten their noose in the every borders, and witches once loyal to their covens have gone rogue, binding themselves to forbidden pacts. The balance we fought for centuries to maintain is teetering."