Chapter 4 — Shadows of the Dagger

Alessandra

The study was steeped in silence, a heavy, tangible quiet that clung to the air like cobwebs. The scent of polished wood and old parchment hung in the stillness, an almost suffocating weight pressing on my chest with each shallow breath. The leather-bound books lining the shelves seemed to lean toward me, their faded titles whispering secrets I wasn’t supposed to uncover. This room—my father’s sanctum—had always been forbidden, a place where he retreated into brooding silences and cryptic wisdom. Now, it was just another hollow reminder of what I’d lost—and of the answers I might never find.