"Surprise."The word came out of nowhere, casual and completely out of place, making Christian’s grip tighten instantly around the steering wheel as his eyes flicked sideways.The car maintaining its steady speed while the road stretched endlessly ahead under the dimming sky.Ezra sat in the passenger seat, as if he had always been there, unbothered, and relaxed.Watching him.Christian let out a slow breath, not startled, not anymore, just… mildly irritated."You really need to stop doing that, Ezra," he said, his tone flat. "One day I might actually crash because of you."Ezra leaned back slightly, as if considering that."You won’t," he replied. "You’re too controlled for that... And I believe in you." Christian didn’t respond to that, his gaze returning to the road as silence settled between them for a brief moment before Ezra spoke again, this time without the earlier lightness."I came with information," he said.Christian’s expression didn’t change, but his attention sharpened

"So… you’re finally ready to hear about the debt your mother left behind."The elder’s voice was calm, measured, and impossibly steady as it echoed softly through the grand inner chamber of House Eldewyn.A place far older than Christian had initially imagined, where towering shelves filled with ancient manuscripts stretched toward vaulted ceilings carved with spiritual sigils, while silver flames burned silently within suspended lanterns, casting an ethereal glow across polished stone floors engraved with blood-binding symbols."Woahhh!" Unintentionally the words came out of Christian, seeing Christian's expression, the elder said, "looking at you, it's reminding me when Mary was young, she is such a carefree girl."Christian smiled at him quietly, Ezra was calmly floating beside Christian. "Looks like he knew very well about Mary."Christian was calm but said nothing, he stood at the center of it all, his posture composed despite the storm quietly building within him, his gaze unwav

"What exactly happened to Luna?" Christian’s jaw tightened sharply as he demanded to know the truth about what happened to his best friend.The question came quieter, but far heavier.Georgia’s composure finally cracked. "She saved me...." Those three words shattered what little distance remained.Christian froze completely.Georgia’s tears did not fall, but the grief in her voice made them unnecessary."She pushed me out before the flames fully collapsed the structure," she said, her voice trembling now despite every effort to steady it. "She chose me… even when she was the one dying.... As an elder sister, even at that last moment, she did everything to protect me." The chamber itself seemed to grow colder... Christian’s fingers curled faintly at his sides.No one spoke.... No one dared either.Georgia swallowed painfully before forcing herself to continue."When I reached her…" she whispered, "she was already fading." Her voice broke. "But even then… even then…" For the first t

"So, in simpler words… you’re telling me that in order to claim the final fragment, I have no choice but to rely on the very same person who deceived me from the beginning?" Christian’s voice remained calm, but the sharp precision behind each word made the sacred chamber feel significantly colder, as his gaze shifted from Georgia to the council elders seated before him, unwilling to let emotion cloud the logic of what was now being demanded of him.Because no matter how personal this betrayal felt, he was still Christian Sargent, and he would not allow himself to be manipulated blindly.Georgia remained still where she stood, her posture graceful yet undeniably tense, because his words were not exaggerated.They were true, and that truth, more than accusation, carried the real weight.The elder seated at the center of the chamber folded his hands calmly before answering, his silver eyes holding the quiet wisdom of someone who had witnessed centuries of bloodline conflict."This is no

"You can," Georgia said it gently, "it's not your fault, it's just the process is scaring you." "Are you absolutely certain there wasn’t a simpler way to do this?" Christian’s voice carried its usual calm restraint, though beneath it lingered an unmistakable dryness that subtly echoed throughout the Sanctum of Convergence, where silver flames burned brighter with each passing second and sacred runes etched into the circular marble floor pulsed rhythmically beneath his feet, as though the chamber itself had awakened fully in anticipation of what was to come."If you're nervous, you can hold my hand," she offered her hand but Christian declined it, "no thanks, I prefer holding that fire rather than holding you...." Georgia rolled her eyes, "it's upto you." Christian mumbled, "you don't need to be concerned about me.""Like I'm...""I knew you aren't..."Looking at their banter, the elder cleared his throat, "if you both are done, take your position properly... We will start everythi