Slowly, the King exhaled, the awe fading from his expression until it was once more neutral.
Principal Kael leaned heavily on his staff, while High Magus Edric's gaze never left Noah.
Cillian was the first to break the quiet that had filled the office. "Noah Webb… tell me. What is your side of the story of the incident with... Juniper Rowe?"
Noah's shadows stirred faintly at the question, hissing at the edges of the room, but his face remained blank. He lifted his chin.
"I had nothing to do with her disappearance." He said evenly. "I have an alibi, which... they... didn't want to check. I spent that day with Arlo."
Cillian's eyes narrowed, his stare digging into Noah's as if searching for cracks. The silence stretched, thick enough to choke.
Noah didn't look away. He let the King see the abyss in his eyes. The hollow, the fire, the hatred muted beneath the calm.
