Charlotte stood by the window, gazing over the sprawling cityscape of Qorluna. Her mind raced, struggling to understand how Devito and Kieren had so badly botched Lucious's plan. What was meant to be a quiet procurement of test subjects had become a circus, drawing unwanted attention from both the Guardians and the Nexus.

"Incompetence," she muttered under her breath, a chill creeping down her spine. Kieren, of course, was no longer a problem. His reckless use of magic had burned him out, leaving nothing but ash and shattered dreams. Charlotte shuddered at the thought, grateful she had never relied on such raw, uncontrollable power.

"I despise incompetence!" Micah's voice boomed, silencing all conversation. His glare was fixed on Devito, who stood with his head bowed, humbled beneath the weight of his failure. Micah's face was flushed with fury. "If you're going to do something, do it right. And. Do. Not. Get. Caught."

Aisling, watching with an amused smirk, opened his mouth to speak, but Micah cut him off with a glance sharp enough to silence any words.

"Yes, yes, Aisling," Micah growled, "What does this have to do with Maris? And what does it have to do with you? Shut up and wait your turn."

Aisling's smirk faltered, and Charlotte suppressed a smile. The boy didn't stand a chance against Micah. The tension in the room thickened, a silent promise of imminent consequences.

"I... apologies, Micah," Aisling stammered, his voice cracking.

Micah narrowed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Did you think I wouldn't hear about your little birds whispering my secrets to that private investigator? Or see you sneaking off to meet those Guardian pests?" His voice was low, yet it carried the weight of a threat, rippling through the air like the chill before a storm.

Aisling paled, instinct kicking in as he pushed back his chair and bolted for the door. He didn't get far. A sharp crack echoed through the room as frost spiraled from Micah's outstretched hand, freezing Aisling mid-stride, trapping him in ice—an eternal sculpture of panic. The icy wind chilled the room to the bone.

Micah's gaze swept back to Devito, who let out a strangled gasp as frost crept over his body, freezing him solid where he stood.

"I cannot tolerate this level of failure. Three empty seats on this board now. Unacceptable." His voice was calm, as cold as the frost clinging to the air. He slowly turned, meeting the eyes of each person in the room. Charlotte returned his gaze without flinching, her fanatic loyalty clear in her eyes. Beside her, Nigel nodded respectfully, his expression mournful, as though he regretted the waste of life.

Stolen novel; please report.

Micah's eyes landed on Maris, trembling beside the frozen corpses of Aisling and Devito. "Maris," Micah said, motioning to the vacant seat. Maris, pale but determined, stepped over the icy remains of his superiors and sat down.

"Welcome," said Richard, his tone overly friendly.

"Shut up, Richard," Micah snapped. "You're lucky I didn't start with you first."

Richard visibly composed himself. "Sir, I had no way of knowing there was a memory spell placed on the two of you. I was simply recruiting what I thought was a powerful healer. I deeply regret what happened."

Micah dismissed him with a flick of his hand, silencing the murmurs rising after the deaths. "We've waited too long, been too careful. Filious Vires thinks we're just another faction, but we're the next step in evolution. Anyone who isn't ready to take that step has no place here."

Nigel, ever efficient, stood and placed a black case on the table. He opened it to reveal glowing syringes, the eerie blue liquid inside casting a ghostly light. The hunger in the room was palpable.

"Is it safe now?" one of the men asked hesitantly.

Micah sneered. "Nothing is safe in this world, you coward."

From the back of the room, Lucious's smooth voice broke the tension. "We've recruited a promising scientist in Sovaria. She may be able to refine the serum."

Micah spat on the floor, his disdain clear. He grabbed two vials from the case, handing one to Maris. "Make yourself useful, Maris. This is your last chance. If you return without results..." He glanced at the frozen corpses. Maris nodded shakily, clutching the vial as if his life depended on it.

The second vial Micah tossed to a heavyset man in a pristine suit. "You're going hunting, Boreaus."

Boreaus caught the vial, his balding head nodding. "Who's the target, sir? Should I abandon the search for Gordon?"

Micah scoffed. "You haven't found a damn thing. Stop wasting your time. My father's running you in the same damn circles he's been running me through for the past 150 years. You had your chance and you failed."

Crystal saw Nigel's eyes tighten at the mention of the man. Gordon Walker was a man these two had hated for centuries now. What had this man done?

Micah pointed to the screen on the wall. Nigel pressed a button, and the screen flickered to life, showing an enormous fiery demon blazing at the docks.

"Find him," Micah growled, his voice thick with menace. "That is wild magic. I want him before Filious Vires does."

The screen flickered again, showing a photo of a young man walking through the streets of Qorluna, two women at his side. Charlotte's jaw clenched when she recognized one of the women—Sarah.

Micah's finger jabbed toward the screen, his eyes narrowing with fury. "Find this man. His name is John Walker. Everything else is secondary. If you cross paths with him, it takes precedence. Kill him, and bring me proof. I want his head."

He fixed his gaze on Richard. "This is the only reason you're all still alive."

For just a second, Micah flickered, as though three versions of him stood there—an old man, a weeping child, and the man he was now. Then it was gone, leaving only a creeping chill as ice slowly spread from his feet.

The room fell silent, the weight of Micah's command suffocating. Boreaus nodded gravely, and without a word, the meeting was over. The inner circle dispersed, grim determination etched on their faces.

Charlotte lingered a moment longer, watching as Micah turned back to the screen slowly covering with frost, his eyes locked on the fiery demon. A slow smile crept across her face. It was good to be on the inside.