Questions buzzed like restless bees among the crowd, weaving tension so thick it felt like a storm was about to break. Voices murmured in hushed tones, each trying to make sense of Lyon's declaration, the arrival of the Six Pillars, and the patriarchs' sudden intervention. Every eye flicked back and forth between the clans and Lyon's circle, anticipation rising like the tide.
Atrum, the patriarch of the Ouroboros Clan, stood quietly among the others, his expression unreadable. He was a man who understood tides—when to push forward and when to drift with the current. Unlike the other patriarchs, whose glares carried suspicion or challenge, Atrum was content to play both sides. Offending Lyon, whose power was now undeniable, was a risk. But openly opposing his fellow leaders wasn't an option either. For now, he would wait and see, a snake watching from the grass.
