When i entered, everyone was already in place.
The room carried a stillness that wasn't empty, but deliberate. Every position had been taken with intention, every movement measured before it happened. No one had arrived late. No one had lingered at the threshold. That alone said enough.
Darius stood at the head of the room.
He did not sit.
That, more than anything, set the tone.
To his right stood Gwen, composed as always, her expression unreadable but her attention sharp. Lord Charles remained slightly behind her, hands clasped behind his back, posture straight, eyes forward. He did not look at anyone directly, but nothing in the room escaped him.
Across from them stood the three women.
Evelyne held her position closest to the center, her posture steady, her expression calm in a way that suggested control rather than ease. She did not look at anyone directly, but her awareness was precise. She knew exactly where everyone stood.
