Cassius brushed himself and said, "You must be Anne."
Anne's eyes widened in shock. She had heard the stories of talking birds, of messengers and omens, but she had never seen one herself. The bird, with its dark feathers and sharp beak, looked nothing out of the ordinary, yet here it was, speaking with a clarity and authority that made her question her sanity.
Cassius stretched his wings and perched on the small table in the room. The dull thud of his talons on the wood seemed to echo in the silence that followed. All eyes were on the talking bird.
Anne, regaining her composure, managed to stammer, "Are you all seeing what I am seeing?"
The room was filled with murmurs and uneasy glances. Noah stepped forward. His eyes, sharp and perceptive, narrowed as he observed Cassius. He sniffed the air, a gesture that was both animal and discerning.
"You are not an ordinary bird," Noah said, his voice a deep rumble. "You are a demon."
