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I break off when a disturbance near the door catches my eye.

Several Authority officers enter the hall, their crimson uniforms making them stand out. The room’s ambient noise dimsinstantly, metallic clatter of utensils fading to silence, conversations dying mid-word. Shoulders hunch. Heads bow. Even the air itself seems to thicken, every breath turning strained and shallow.

The officers move between tables with the casual arrogance of men who've never questioned their right to instill fear. Their presence isn't merely an unspoken threat, it's a reminder of what Ashenvale has become under their rule. A city broken open, destroyed from within.

"It's an inspection," I murmur to Ellie without looking at her. My mind starts working faster, cataloging exits, counting steps, calculating delays.

Five tables between us and the officers.

Four.

Around us, the other servants shrink into their benches, movements brittle with terror. Not invisible enough to vanish. Only unremarkable enough to survive.

“Finish eating, but don’t rush.” My voice is almost soundless. “We’ll leave once they pass.”

At a table near the center of the room, an officer stops. His gaze sweeps over the bent heads around him, landing on a young man.

“You,” he says.

The young man rises immediately, back straight, hands at his sides. Too stiff to be anything other than terrified. The officer circles him slowly, a wolf savoring the scent of panic, examining his uniform, his credentials, his demeanor.

The tension mounts until the boy begins to shake visibly. Only then, with a contemptuous flick of two fingers, does the officer dismiss him.

Across the table, Ellie’s breath hitches. So subtle most wouldn’t notice. ButIdo.

I sense it before I see it. The power inside her is stirring, outraged by the spectacle. Her fingers tighten around the spoon. Metal bends under the pressure, the tremor traveling up her arm.

"Focus." My lips barely move. "Breathe as I taught you. Now, Mel’shira."

Her eyes meet mine, and I see it. The silver has brightened, bleeding outward like cracks in glass. No longer hidden. No longer safe.

Anyone who looks will see what she is.

The officers continue their slow circuit of the room.

Three tables away now.

They’re moving in our direction, boots striking the stone floor, closing in. Step by step. If they reach us before Ellie regains control …

“We need to move.”

We rise together, and move slowly toward the exit. Most servants remain seated during inspections unless directly addressed, but a few others are also leaving, providing just enough cover for our departure to appear routine rather than evasive.

Three steps from the exit.

Two steps.

A voice cuts through the air.

“You there. Gray uniform. Female. Stop.”

Ellie locks up mid-step, as if the command alone froze her in place. Breath caught. Shoulders rigid. Muscles trembling with theeffort not to bolt. I see it immediately. The silver flaring too bright in her eyes, her control slipping as panic sets in.

The officer who called out is still too far away to notice. But he’s coming.

A single misstep, a second too long. A visible hesitation, and he’ll see what she is.

Move.