The tension in the cabin was palpable, a suffocating miasma of fury and mistrust that hung heavy in the air. Evelina's gaze flickered between Alden and Morgana, her body coiled and ready to spring into action should the situation take a turn for the worse.

Alden regarded Morgana with a mix of suspicion and barely contained rage, his jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. "Enough games, Morgana," he growled, his voice laced with a lethal promise. "What have you done this time?"

Morgana's laughter was a harsh, grating sound that sent shivers skittering down Evelina's spine. "Why, nothing at all, my love," she purred, her eyes glinting...