Dax followed Tyler out of the dining room and down the quiet corridor toward his office. The muted glow of the sconces slid over the dark gold at his cuffs; behind him the sound of Mia's laughter and Chris's voice faded into the hush of the villa. He still caught the faint trace of rain-clean scent on his hands and cuffs, a thread of warmth clinging even as he put the mask back on.
"What's happened?" he asked, his voice dropping into its habitual low register.
Tyler glanced at the tablet, thumb flicking through encrypted pages as they walked. "The full Health Ministry audit you ordered has been completed. The findings are worse than the preliminary reports suggested."
Dax's eyes narrowed. "Define 'worse.'"
