427 "It’s a security system we installed years ago," Lady Margaret explained quickly. "In case of emergencies. It might buy us some time." The guests stared in stunned disbelief as the shields locked into place, the tension rising even higher. But it wasn’t enough to calm everyone. "You fool!" A
428 Lady Margaret’s breath hitched. "No! Wait, please!" She stepped forward, her voice breaking as she tried to bargain once more. "There must be something—anything—you want! Just don’t do this!" For a brief second, there was a flicker of hesitation on Harrison’s face, but it quickly vanished. "I’
429 A tense silence filled the space, broken only by the sound of ragged breathing and faint sobs. Slowly, eyes began to open, and confused murmurs spread through the crowd. "What… what just happened?" a woman stammered, clutching her child tightly. "We should be dead," a man whispered, his voice
Seconds stretched into what felt like an eternity. Everyone remained frozen, waiting for the end that never came. Darwin slowly opened his eyes, confusion flickering across his face. "What’s going on?" he muttered under his breath. Lady Margaret blinked, her hand still clutching her chest as she r
431 A heavy silence blanketed the room, broken only by the faint rustling of clothing as people shifted uncomfortably, still processing what had just transpired. Darwin glanced around, disbelief etched into his features. He tried to grasp the reality of their survival, but the sudden entrance of K
432 Once Maelstrom left, the doors closed behind him with a heavy thud. The silence that followed was thick, the enormity of what had just happened sinking in. Darwin was the first to speak, breaking the spell. "We’re alive," he said softly, his voice filled with both disbelief and gratitude. "We
433 "I’m not staying here another minute," a man muttered, grabbing his coat in frustration. "I don’t care if she has Maelstrom’s favor. That woman’s reckless, and I won’t let her drag me into her mess again." "Reckless?" Darwin finally spoke up, stepping forward, his voice sharp as he met the man’s gaze. "You’re calling her reckless?" "Reckless is an understatement," the man spat back. "She’s a walking disaster, and I won’t wait around for the next catastrophe!" "Enough," Darwin said, his tone lowering but still firm as he glanced around the room. "This isn’t helping. We’re alive because of what she did." "Alive?" a woman scoffed from the corner, crossing her arms defiantly. "Are we supposed to thank her for putting us in danger in the first place?" "Yes," Darwin shot back, his voice hardening. "Because if she hadn’t acted, we’d all be dead. Like it or not, Maelstrom saved us, and that’s because of Lady Margaret." "Spare us the heroics," the older man snarled, stepping forward
434 As the door slammed shut behind the last of the crowd, the silence was almost deafening. Darwin exhaled heavily, running a hand through his hair, feeling the weight of the night pressing down on him. "They'll never understand," he muttered. "You do everything to protect them, and they turn on