The basement of the new House of Roses was cold and damp, its stone walls echoing with the distant sound of dripping water. The construction above was only half complete, but the underground network of tunnels that connected various points outside of Grafen had already been excavated. Alina, Xena, Belle, and Josephine stood at the entrance of one such tunnel, their eyes alight with a mix of curiosity and excitement.
"Are you sure we should be doing this without Lyan?" Alina asked, her small frame shivering slightly in the cool air. She clutched the hilt of her sword tightly, the dark magic that coursed through her veins making her petite figure appear even more delicate.
Xena, ever the playful one, flashed a mischievous grin as she adjusted the bow slung across her back. "Come on, Alina. Where's the fun in waiting? Besides, we're not exactly defenseless." She gestured to the creatures that accompanied each of them.
