Alice's eyes narrowed.
Selene noticed the look but didn't understand what it meant.
Isaac did.
He could already feel the tension beginning to stir in Alice's posture.
Before he could try and step in, she spoke.
"Did you say that on purpose?"
Her voice was flat, but her shoulders were tense. It was clear she was on edge, ready to move if needed.
The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly.
All eyes turned to Alice.
Then the woman in the back finally moved.
Asha Fenn, the leader of Black Wing Guild, took a small step forward. She was a tall woman with short black hair and a sharp, predatory gaze.
"What are you doing?" she said.
White wisps of aura started curling around her shoulders, like mist caught in a cold wind.
It was a warning, clear and unmistakable towards Alice. That she needed back down.
Alice opened her mouth, ready to respond.
But she felt something.
Isaac's hand.
He had quietly placed it over hers.
