The grand chamber smelled of aged wood and lingering incense, its towering ceilings lost in shadow. Liam pushed himself up from the cold floor with a groan, his muscles screaming from the earlier chaos. Dust motes danced in the faint moonlight filtering through tall windows. His head throbbed, but survival instincts kicked in hard. 'Where the hell am I now?'
He scanned the room—a massive study lined with bookshelves that reached toward the darkness above. At its center stood a wide, ornate desk carved from deep mahogany, polished to a sinister gleam. Something about it tugged at his memory, a prickle of recognition that made his stomach twist.
Liam approached cautiously, boots echoing softly on the marble. His fingers brushed the desk's surface. Valor's desk. The traitor's private sanctum. The realization hit like a gut punch. 'Of course. This is where the snake hides his venom.'
