As they walked, Laura noticed how people nodded respectfully to Zephyr but also looked at him with genuine admiration rather than fear. It was a stark contrast to the intimidation tactics she'd seen in Lucian's territory.
Selene stayed close to Zephyr, occasionally touching his arm or shoulder when explaining something—which she did often, interrupting whenever Zephyr began to speak directly to Laura.
"Our territory extends beyond these halls," Zephyr explained as they walked through a series of interconnected chambers, each devoted to different subjects of study. "But the heart of our power is here, in knowledge preserved and expanded upon for generations."
"Knowledge without application is useless," Laura said, remembering something she'd read once.
Selene laughed lightly. "How quain
