"Are you alright, Master Kaleb?" the burly guard inquired after a prolonged silence from Alastor.
Alastor, jolted back to the present, realized he needed a quick response. He couldn't risk the guard approaching any closer. He shifted his voice, striving to mimic Kaleb's tone as accurately as possible.
"I'm fine," he rasped, imitating Kaleb's voice while adding a layer of hoarseness and fatigue to disguise any discrepancies. "Just used the restroom. Heading back to bed now."
"What are you doing here?" he added, attempting to steer the conversation away from himself.
"Oh, Wan He has arrived. You instructed me to inform you immediately," the guard explained.
A thrill of excitement surged through Alastor. He had been pondering how to isolate Wan He, and it seemed Kaleb had inadvertently paved the way. He fought to suppress his elation, forcing his racing heart to slow.
