Seraphine POV
That night, sleep did not come easily. Agro Territory was safe. My father was safe. My people were safe. But the world was not. I could feel it. The qi in my veins was restless. Not violent. Not panicked.
Watching. Waiting. Like prey sensing a predator that had not yet stepped into the light.
My room was quiet, illuminated only by the soft golden glow of enchanted candles and the distant hum of Agro's protective barrier. Outside, the wind whispered against the tower walls, carrying secrets it refused to translate.
I sat at the small altar near the window. Simple. Deliberate. A porcelain cup. Steam rising gently from the dark liquid inside.
Coffee. The offering. The prayer. Novella had been subtle in my dreams. She never ordered. Never demanded. She suggested.
Guided. Like a teacher letting the student discover the answer. And I understood. Gods did not interfere freely. They responded to devotion,to intent and to offerings.
