Earlier.
"...I'm telling you, something's off about those two," whispered the stocky servant with sunken eyes, glancing over his shoulder as he wiped the sweat from his brow. "Illace, the guy who never speaks is talking too smoothly, and the other guy... he moves like he's hiding a sword up his spine."
He stood in a shadowed hallway just outside the wine cellar, whispering into the ear of the man known only as Karn—Damien's personal servant, shadow, and enforcer.
Karn's eyes narrowed.
"They claimed the Master approved the recruit," the servant added quickly. "Said he'd meet him after the guest leaves."
As Alex had suspected, not everyone bought their lies. Someone, suspicious of their actions, had decided to report their actions.
Hearing those words, Karn said nothing at first, his gloved hands folding behind his back while his face remained a blank slate of indifference.
Then, slowly, he turned his gaze toward the grand sitting room.
