Knock. Knock. Knock!!Ethan Lancaster’s fists slammed against Brianna’s bedroom door, the sound sharp enough to echo down the hallway.“Brianna! Open this damn door! Where the hell are you?! How drunk did you get last night?! You’ve been in there all day. Come out, now!”He waited, ears straining for a response, but got none.Frustrated, he stormed down the stairs.“Dad! Mom! Brianna isn’t coming out of her room!”“What now?” David said, adjusting his jacket. “I don’t have time for this, I’m heading to work.”“But David,” Margaret Lancaster whined, then glanced at Ethan. “Are you sure your sister even came home last night? Are you sure she’s in her room?”Ethan froze. Now that she mentioned it… he hadn’t seen Brianna come in.David let out a long sigh, brushing them off. “You’re probably worrying over nothing. Whether she’s home or not, that girl can take care of herself. I have a meeting today that might finally put me in the same room as Azrael. I don’t have time to worry about this

The next morning dawned bright and clear as Diane stepped onto the porch, dressed and fully prepared for the plan she and Sophie had put together to finally bring her uncle down. She had barely made it down the porch when a familiar voice came from behind her. “What have you been up to lately?” Diane flinched slightly and turned around to see her father, Donald, standing behind her with a suspicious look on his face. “Huh?” she blurted out. Donald folded his arms. “You’ve been up to something again. Just like before. I know that look on your face. I hope whatever you’re planning isn’t dangerous.” Diane quickly forced a reassuring smile. “Dad, don’t worry. I’m not doing anything dangerous. Everything is fine.” Before Donald could respond, Abigail stepped out onto the porch, immediately joining the conversation. “And what about that young man, Leon Ashford?” she asked. “What’s going on between you and him?” Diane rolled her eyes and immediately looked away. “Mom, please. Let’s

At Apex Clinic, Leon leaned back in his office chair with a weary sigh, listening to Ezekiel Gates through the phone. He had been hearing the same request for a while now, and although Ezekiel’s tone remained respectful, Leon could tell how desperately he wanted an answer. “Can’t you make it work, Lord Azrael?” Ezekiel asked hopefully. “Everyone wants to see you, including the High Priestess. They all want to witness your miracle and pay their respects to you.” Leon shook his head slightly, his expression thoughtful. He wasn’t sure visiting a temple filled with people worshipping him was a good idea at this point. As the God of Dominion, it was ultimately humanity’s fate to worship him. The more people believed in him and devoted themselves to him, the more of his true power would return. And judging from everything that had happened recently, he was already gaining more believers. Still, he wasn’t quite ready to stand before a large gathering of followers and reveal himse

That caught Vorn’s attention. He leaned forward, resting his forearms against the dark wood of his desk. “You think Calenne found something?” “I believe it’s possible.” “About Azrael?” Margot nodded. “If the Olyndras were confident enough to withdraw without giving us a report, then they likely secured intelligence too sensitive, or too dangerous to share through standard diplomatic channels.” Vorn’s expression hardened into stone. “Then find out what it is.” “Right away, sir.” “Contact the Olyndran Foreign Affairs Ministry directly. I want answers.” “I’ll have the order issued immediately.” “Do it fast.” “Yes, sir.” Margot turned toward the door, but before she could leave, Vorn spoke again. “And Margot?” She stopped. “I want a total forensic sweep of everything Vance Calenne did in Brookdale. I want his movements, his meetings, his communications. I want to know what he found out, and exactly who he spoke to.” Margot nodded. “I’ll see to it.” Vorn leaned back, rubbin

Knock, knock, knock. The door opened, revealing a young woman who stared at the two strangers standing on her doorstep. One was a short young woman with short, choppy black hair, chewing gum with reckless indifference. Beside her stood a young man with long brown hair. The sight of the unfamiliar pair made the woman’s heart skip a beat. Something about them felt wrong, though she couldn’t quite explain why. “Who… are you?” she asked cautiously. “Can I help you?” “I’m Maris, and you don’t know me,” the short-haired woman replied with her usual unhinged attitude. She blew a bubble with her gum before letting it pop. “But… haha, I have a feeling there’s someone you love very much. An infant, perhaps?” The woman frowned, her confusion quickly giving way to suspicion. “Why are you telling me all that?” Instead of answering, Maris suddenly slapped her hard across the face. The woman gasped, raising a hand to her cheek as she stared at Maris in disbelief. “Oops, sorry!” Maris exclai