No one spoke.
The old black envelope rested inside the cardboard box like it had been waiting years to be opened. The crimson wax seal had fractured with age, but the raven embossed into it was still unmistakable.
Aiden looked from the envelope to Noah.
He had never seen Noah react like this.
Not when bullets flew past his head.
Not when Victor stood only a few meters away.
Not even while lying in a hospital bed after emergency surgery.
But now...
His face had gone completely pale.
Matthew noticed it too.
"What is it?"
Noah didn't answer immediately.
His eyes remained fixed on the seal.
"My father used this."
The room grew even quieter.
Leon folded his arms.
"A personal seal?"
Noah nodded slowly.
"He used it whenever he wrote something he didn't want altered."
Matthew frowned.
"You're saying this could actually be from him?"
"I don't know."
"Because..."
Noah swallowed.
"...the last time I saw this seal was at his funeral."
Aiden's heart tightened.
