Chapter 173: Looked Into
Arthur and Aziel had somehow made it through their sleepless night, though the experience had left both of them feeling like tired shells. The mysterious sensations that had plagued Arthur—that growing pit in the back of his head—had finally subsided sometime before dawn, leaving him with lingering questions and a persistent headache.
Now they found themselves back in the same sterile conference room where they had first encountered Cara and Maya the day before. The morning light streaming through the tall windows cast different shadows across the polished surfaces, but the room’s austere atmosphere remained unchanged.
Arthur leaned heavily against the long conference table, his arms crossed as he fought to keep his eyes open. The exhaustion sat like a physical weight on his shoulders, making even standing upright feel laborious. His hair was disheveled from their restless night, and the dark circles under his eyes were testament to the sleep that had eluded him.
Beside him, Aziel had claimed one of the sturdy chairs and was precariously balancing it on its back legs, rocking back and forth in a rhythm that seemed to match his growing irritation. The repetitive motion produced a soft creaking sound that echoed in the quiet room, each movement threatening to send him toppling backward.
His hair was even more unkempt than usual, sticking up at odd angles that suggested he had spent considerable time tossing and turning. The tired expression on his face was accentuated by drooping eyelids, and his usual animated energy had been replaced by restless agitation that manifested in constant fidgeting.
The waiting was clearly taking its toll on both of them, but Aziel’s impatience was reaching a breaking point. Finally, the silence was broken by an exaggerated yawn that seemed to come from the depths of his being. When it subsided, he rolled his eyes dramatically.
"Gosh, when the hell are they supposed to be here?" he complained, his voice carrying the petulant tone of someone whose patience had been stretched to its limit. "We’ve been waiting forever!"
Arthur, who remained leaning against the table with his own equally tired expression, let out a weary sigh. "It’s only been thirty minutes," he said, though his own voice lacked conviction. "Be patient, Aziel."
The words felt hollow even as he spoke them. The waiting was getting to him too, especially in his current state of exhaustion.