Meanwhile, far from the university, buried deep inside the main building of the Superpower Association, the kind of place where most people never got past the lobby without clearance, the lights inside one particular room stayed on long after sunset.
The wide windows on the upper conference floor offered a clear view of the skyline and the city's layered haze, but none of it eased the tension in the room.
The lights outside were distant and blurred, like the world beyond had started to slip out of focus, leaving only the quiet hum of electricity and the weight of silence between those seated around the table.
At the far end, sitting in the kind of chair reserved only for someone with absolute control, Sera Valcrest's older brother leaned forward with both elbows resting on the table.
His shirt sleeves were pushed up just enough to show the faint marks of stress along his forearms.
