{Back to Elias's first POV}
{Time works differently so it has only been 2 hrs since Seraphina's exchange.}
I exhaled slowly and straightened, letting the weight of everything settle into something more controlled. Panic would not help me now. Thinking would. Acting would.
"We will not tell the public," I said, my voice steady now. "Not yet."
Cassian nodded immediately, as if he had expected that answer. "Of course."
I continued, already running through the implications in my head. "If the people who took her are who I think they are, then we cannot risk drawing attention to this. Not until we understand what we are dealing with."
Cassian's expression shifted slightly, more serious now. "You believe this is something beyond ordinary attackers."
"I do," I said. "And if I am right, panic among the public will only make things worse. Rumors will spread, the church will get involved, and we will lose control of the situation before we even begin."
