The morning after Election Day felt strangely quiet. Not peaceful. Just... tense.
The entire country was waiting.
Millions of votes were being counted across Valenridge. News channels ran nonstop coverage. Cafés kept televisions on. Offices barely functioned because employees spent more time checking election updates than working.
Everywhere Sebastian went, cameras followed. Everywhere Magnus looked, numbers haunted him.
Inside campaign headquarters, exhaustion had become part of the furniture. Some staff members hadn't slept in nearly forty-eight hours. Coffee cups covered desks.
Jackets hung over chairs.
People dozed off for ten minutes at a time before jumping back into work. Even Clara looked exhausted. She sat in front of a wall of monitors reviewing security reports when Elena dropped into the chair beside her.
"You look terrible."
Clara didn't look away from her screen.
"Thank you."
"I meant it as a compliment."
That finally earned a small laugh.
