Threat

Sir Dominic's voice faltered for a second, his eyes dropping to the polished wood of his desk. The silence that followed was suffocating.

"Your son wasn't the only one who perished," he continued, his voice regaining some steadiness. "We lost other top staff members as well. It was a devastating loss."

The office descended into a heavy silence. Caspian sat rigidly, arms folded across his chest, his face a cold mask of grief and fury. The air felt oppressive, each second stretching endlessly.

"To be honest," Caspian said after a long pause, his voice brittle, "I'm shocked that a Sycrax presence was discovered on the Agogjie planet. I always believed that was one of the safest places, especially with civilians living there." His words dripped with bitter disbelief.