章 301: Family.

"We have arrived, my lord," Alfred said as the carriage slowed to a halt. His voice was calm, steady, just as it always was.

I gave him a silent nod, stepping out of the Drakhan carriage. The air was thick with moisture, the heavy scent of earth and pine filling my lungs. The forest around me wasn't just any forest—it was the ancestral grounds near the Drakhan manor, a place few dared to tread at night. The trees were ancient, their twisted branches hanging low like they were weighed down by centuries of history, whispers of the past. Shadows clung to every corner, making it feel as though the very woods were watching me.

"Wait here," I said, my voice cold but calm, as I started to walk into the forest alone.

Alfred shifted slightly. "My lord, it might be dangerous—"

I cut him off, my pace unchanging. "You wanted me to meet my family, didn't you?"

There was a pause behind me. "Yes, but—"