#Chapter 25: All Eyes

Amelia The first day of the summit was finally here. We arrived at the summit compound just after dusk, the final stretch of the secured convoy winding through steep mountain roads and thick Silverpine forest. The air smelled like pine and stone and frost, even though it was technically spring. The further we got from the capital, the quieter it became—until the noise of the outside world disappeared entirely. It took three hours from the city, but the last one felt like five. Convoy speed restrictions, layered checkpoint protocols, perimeter scans every fifteen minutes. No one said it aloud, but we all knew why it was so strict. This wasn’t just about diplomacy—it was about deterring enemies. The compound itself sat low and fortified, blending into the ridgeline like it had grown there. Cold concrete corridors, mirrored security glass, the faint buzz of energy shielding layered around the property. The architecture was practical and imposing, with zero regard for comfort or ch