Aiden Knight's POV
The morning sun filters through my cultivation chamber windows as I complete the final cycle of the Samsara Death Technique. Power flows through my meridians like molten steel, each breath drawing in spiritual energy from the air around me.
My phone buzzes on the marble table beside me. A text message notification.
I ignore it and continue my practice. Nothing should interrupt cultivation at this critical juncture. The technique requires absolute focus to properly circulate the death energy through my body.
The phone buzzes again. Then again.
Annoyance flickers through my concentration. I open my eyes and reach for the device.
Three missed calls from Bradley Orwell. Two text messages asking me to contact him urgently.
My brow furrows. Bradley is reliable, methodical. He doesn't contact me unless it's important, and he never calls multiple times without good reason.
I dial his number. The call goes straight to voicemail.
