บท 39: Silenced

Ignoring the murmurs, I dusted off my clothes, muttering a curse as I took in the Ashfords' appearance—impeccably composed, not a single scratch or speck of dust. They looked annoyingly pristine, while I resembled someone who had crawled out of a bombed-out building. Without thinking, I blurted, "How the hell do you all still look perfect after a freaking explosion? Seriously, not even a hair out of place. How is that even possible?"

The elders exchanged glances, a few raising brows in faint amusement. Alexander's lips twitched in what looked suspiciously like a repressed smile, but he quickly returned to his usual stony demeanor. I huffed, brushing plaster from my shoulder, when I caught sight of something black out of the corner of my eye.

There, lying in a puddle of blood, was a black envelope. Its wax seal bore the imprint of a serpent, coiled and poised to strike. A shiver crawled down my spine. I'd seen that seal before, and it didn't bring good memories.