The next morning found us in the same private sitting room, with breakfast laid out on elegant tables that none of us had touched much. The revelations from the previous night had left everyone processing complex emotions, but there was a sense of anticipation in the air—they knew there was more to learn.
"You said there were forces at work beyond the scope of any story," Rachel began without preamble, her healing instincts apparently having concluded that diving straight into difficult topics was better than prolonged anticipation. "What did you mean?"
I set down my untouched cup of tea, organizing thoughts about cosmic conspiracies and ancient dragons. "The novel I read in my previous world ended with Lucifer achieving his goals and becoming the strongest human alive. But it never explained certain mysteries that I've since learned were intentionally omitted from the narrative."
"Such as?" Cecilia asked with sharp focus.
