The morning sun had yet to paint the sky with its golden hues when King Declan was abruptly roused from his slumber by a sharp knock on his chamber door. Rubbing the remnants of sleep from his eyes, he swung the door open to reveal a breathless guard, his face etched with urgency.
"Your Majesty, we have a problem," the guard began, his voice trembling with anxiety.
Declan's brow furrowed in concern. "What is the problem? What has so rattled you that you wake me before dawn?" he demanded, his tone tinged with irritation at the untimely disturbance.
The guard wasted no time in delivering the news. "Your Majesty, vampire soldiers have just marched into Coleridge," he explained, his words hanging heavy in the air. "We don't know what they want."
Shock rippled through Declan's features at the alarming revelation. "Go and knock on Eva's chamber right now," he ordered, his voice clipped with urgency. "Tell her it is very urgent that I see her immediately."
