The secret palace of the Clark family stood silent among the hundreds of palaces surrounding the War God Temple, its grandeur masked by the quiet that enveloped it.
Inside, in the dimly lit central hall, Madam Clark sat solemnly in a swinging chair, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon as if lost in deep thought. The flicker of candlelight cast long shadows around her, yet she remained undisturbed, her expression a blend of melancholy and resolve.
A cloaked figure moved silently through the palace, slipping through the shadows with practiced ease. The figure approached Madam Clark from behind, her footsteps soundless on the polished marble floor.
Just as the cloaked figure was about to reach her, Madam Clark, without turning, spoke in a calm, knowing voice, "What took you so long?"
Startled, the figure paused, then lifted her cloak, revealing herself. It was Thea.
