Dael POV
The chamber was vast, its high ceiling lost in shadow. Torches flickered along the walls, casting long, distorted shapes across the polished stone floor.
The masked participants stood in small groups, murmuring, some fidgeting under the intensity of the dim red light. The organizers’ masks glinted, black and red, reflecting the pale flames like predators sizing up prey.
I moved quietly through the upper catwalk, hidden from immediate view. The crimson wolf mask covered my face completely.
Every line, every curve, every subtle detail was calibrated to command fear and respect. I could feel the weight of it on my skin, the cool edge of the eye slits brushing against my cheeks, keeping my senses sharp.
The black-masked organizer was near the center of the room, standing with
