When Power Changed Hands
And to seal that, I'll sign in blood contract. None will be forced. Only those who choose."
He lifted his hand without aggression, measured and precise, like the stillness before the storm. His fingers marked an invisible line through the night air. The movement was grace itself, yet there was a sharp edge to that grace, sharp enough that even the air seemed to shiver, bending beneath the unseen force stirring around him.
Alina's breath caught. Her eyes glowed faintly pink, the light deepening as she watched him. For a long moment, she said nothing. Her gaze was fixed on him, full of tension, calculation, and a flicker of something she refused to name. The air felt thick with anticipation; no one dared move. Around them, soldiers stood frozen, drawn into the strange gravity of his presence. Even the battered warriors of Vellore—once their enemies—stared in quiet awe. Something about this man demanded it.
