The fire crackled.
Nobody moved.
"He's not coming after Eve directly," Vessa said. "He learned from the hearing. Direct confrontation is not how he wins." Her eyes were steady and serious and completely without performance. "He's going after the pack."
Damian went still.
"The internal doubt," Silas said quietly. "The questions about the bond. About a succubus Luna."
"He didn't start those questions," Vessa said. "But he found them. And he's been feeding them." A pause. "Very carefully. Very quietly." She looked at Damian. "He's done it before. To your father. Twenty years ago. Before Aldric understood what was happening it was already done."
The room was very quiet.
Damian looked at the folder on the table.
At Vessa's hand resting on top of it.
At Eve across from him....still, present, taking all of it in with the focused attention that meant she was already building something in her head.
He reached across the table.
Put his hand on the folder.
Vessa lifted hers.
