Alistair Pov
I don't like this. I didn't like it the moment she said it. I'm staying.
The words still sit heavy in my chest as we're led away from the hall. No one argues with her again,not out loud. Not here. Not with all those eyes watching like they've already claimed her.
Rea doesn't come with us. Instead, she assigns someone else, a quiet woman who barely speaks, to guide us through the town. We walk in silence, the tension thick enough to choke on.
The deeper we go, the worse it feels.
Everything looks normal.
Small houses. Dim lights. People moving about like this is just another peaceful place on the map. But we all know that is far from the truth.
Cloaked.
The word echoes in my mind. Not just hidden from the outside.
Something about this place feels like it's watching us, observing us, waiting for us to slip, before the attacks.
We finally stop in front of a modest building.
"This will be your quarters," the woman says softly before leaving without another word.
