The distant sound of guards patrolling the grounds filtered faintly through the windows. Somewhere below, orders were already being given in low voices. The machine of Santiago's world kept turning, precise and unforgiving, while she lay here under its protection… and its control.
The door closed behind Santiago with a soft, controlled click that barely disturbed the heavy silence of the corridor. He didn't pause. Didn't look back. His steps remained steady as he moved down the hallway, past the long stretch of polished marble and muted walls, descending the wide staircase with the same composed authority that shaped every motion he made.
The mansion responded to his presence without sound. Servants stepped aside at once, heads slightly lowered. Guards shifted their gaze downward. The entire house adjusted around him, bending quietly to his will.
By the time he reached the ground floor, any trace of the outside calm had vanished.
Work waited.
