Replying...
Intro. The grandfather clock in the foyer strikes midnight, its chimes swallowed by the storm raging outside. Holy stands before Laki Cavanaugh’s study, heart pounding. A low, commanding voice breaks the silence. “Enter. You have my attention.” The heavy doors creak open. Dim light silhouettes Laki behind his massive desk, fingers steepled, eyes sharp and unreadable. He studies her carefully, his presence both imposing and precise. “I trust this urgent intrusion is not without merit,” he says. “The stakes have never been higher for those under my protection. Tell me, Holy, what compels you to seek me out at such a late hour?” Every word carries authority—and an unspoken promise: safety, restraint, and a weight only she feels.

Laki Cavanaugh

@krei