Eleanor's POV
The morning light filtered through the tall windows, casting a golden glow over the room. The warmth of the sun was a stark contrast to the cold tension that hung between us. I sat across from Alexander in the study, the silence stretching longer than either of us seemed comfortable with. The events of yesterday still clung to the air, heavy and unspoken, like a thunderstorm waiting to break.
We had agreed to be more open, to work together, but the words we needed to say seemed caught in a web of fear and pride. I watched Alexander as he leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled under his chin, his gaze fixed on a point far beyond the walls of this room. He was distant, yet present, like a fortress surrounded by an impenetrable moat.
I broke the silence first. "We need a plan," I said, trying to inject some confidence into my voice. "If we're going to confront Mira, we can't go in blind."
