Just as Arianne opened her mouth to respond, her brows suddenly creased. Her gaze swept to Lyra, then to Michael. Something in her posture shifted. She didn't voice her concern, but her eyes said enough.
She'd noticed.
Michael, on the other hand, had already risen. He turned slightly toward the case containing the Poison Wyvern Blood Essence.
"I'll step out for a moment," he said. "You two, stay calm."
Without waiting for questions, he picked up the case and walked out.
The hallway outside was quiet. Oddly so. No staff. No footsteps. Even the faint chatter from other rooms had vanished.
Michael paused, his eyes narrowing. He slowly scanned the corridor. Then he looked up, then back toward the hallway curve.
Nothing.
He took a breath and knelt, placing the case gently on the floor. With one hand on the latch, he opened it and pulled out the vial containing the Poison Wyvern Blood Essence.
