Gathering Allies

Alaric sat in his dimly lit study, the faint glow of candlelight casting flickering shadows on the walls. His gaze was fixed on the silver moon outside the window, its soft glow offering little solace as his thoughts churned with the latest development. The note left by Theresa Hargrove had rattled him, but not in a way that showed on the surface. Alaric had been prepared for many outcomes, but her unexpected disappearance and cryptic message had opened a new front in the war he was waging.

He needed to stay ahead. He needed allies.

Seated across from him was Gilbert, ever the picture of loyalty, standing just a few steps away with his usual calm and watchful demeanor. The silence between them stretched, but it was not uncomfortable. It was the kind of silence shared by two people who understood each other's thoughts without the need for words.

"Gilbert," Alaric finally said, breaking the quiet, his voice measured and deep, "what is the current situation?"