While Arty was gone, Sylmira was still sitting alone in her chamber. She didn't immediately move to do her task.
The sound of rain lashing against the tall windows filling the silence. Now that the room was empty, her own thoughts felt louder than ever.
The faint tremor in her fingers when she reached for her teacup told her that something was wrong. It was not just with the world outside, but within her.
The storm's energy had seeped into the air, making even the candles flicker with strange colors, their flames bending toward the window as if drawn to the chaos outside.
She stared at them absently. Her sharp mind replayed every warning she had sensed since morning.
The leyline's vibration was clear. But then there were the dead birds found near the western wall. And now, this heavy choking feeling is sitting in her chest like a stone.
She closed her eyes and tried to still her thoughts. Her heartbeat felt out of rhythm, pulsing with a strange echo.
