章 78: Echoes of Vengeance

Azaria 'Ziya' Point of View

The hours following our meeting were filled with tense discussions and the oppressive weight of anticipation. Every word we spoke seemed to hang in the air like a dark cloud, thickening the already stifling atmosphere. By the time we finally returned to our rooms, the night had fully descended, bringing with it a bone-deep exhaustion that gnawed at my very core.

Khali was already seated at the small table in our room when I entered, her posture rigid, betraying the tension she held within. The flickering light from the single lamp cast shadows across her face, highlighting the hard lines of determination etched into her features.

"My love, we need to talk," she said, her voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of something I couldn't quite place. She gestured to the chair across from her, and I took my seat, the wooden legs scraping softly against the floor.