In the dark meeting hall of Demonstone Castle, Rowena sat at the head of a grand, dark marble table, its polished surface reflecting the subdued crimson light from the high windows.
The hall, once a bustling center of family gatherings and important discussions, now felt eerily empty.
The chairs that once encircled the table with frequent conversation were now vacant, leaving only Rowena, Seron, and Silvan to bear witness to the heavy silence.
Rowena's gaze wandered over the table, her mind drifting back to a time when she was just a child, when her family had been united, when their home had been a beacon of strength and unity.
Her father, mother, aunt, and her family...
Now, most of those who had once been by her side were gone—either fallen, betrayed, or proven harmful. The weight of their absence lingered in the room like a ghost.
