CEDRIC'S POV
Early the next day, as we sat together having breakfast, Jasper came rushing in, his face pale and his eyes wide with panic. "Tatian's in Labor!" he announced breathlessly.
Without hesitation, Ma jumped up, already moving toward the door, and we all stood back, caught in the flurry of her hurried departure. There was a moment of stunned silence before Blaise cleared his throat, glancing at the rest of us. "Maybe we should head to the Army barracks," he suggested, his voice calm despite the tension. "Catch up with the commanders while we wait."
It was a practical suggestion, one we all silently agreed to, and within minutes, we were making our way to the barracks. The courtyard was empty save for one figure sitting near the open yard—Commander Zhan. He was hunched over, a bottle of strong liquor in hand, looking far too comfortable with the idea of drowning his sorrows so early in the day.
