Chapter 98: A Disturbance in the Weave
The party was in full swing. The soft music, the cheerful chatter, and the clinking of glasses filled the grand hall. For the first time in what felt like a lifetime, Ryan was actually starting to relax.
He had just finished his dance with the charming and slightly-too-curious Seraphina and was now engaged in a very serious debate with Chris Magnus about whether pineapple belonged on pizza.
Chris was arguing, with great passion, that it was a crime against nature.
It was a perfect, normal moment in a very not-normal world. And then, it was shattered.
A low, urgent hum, a sound only Ryan could hear, vibrated in his pocket. He reached in and pulled out the Sector Command Orb, the small, pearl-like sphere he had gotten from one of his first treasure caches.
It was usually cool and smooth to the touch, but now it was warm and pulsing with a faint, angry red light. It was a direct, emergency alert from the god Weaver itself.
Ryan’s relaxed posture vanished. He stood up straight, his senses on high alert. The easy smile fell from his face, replaced by the sharp, focused look of a commander.
Scarlett, who was standing nearby, saw the change instantly. Her hand, which had been resting casually on her hip, moved to rest near the small, concealed pistol she wore even with her formal suit.
"What is it?" she asked, her voice a low murmur.