Chapter 31 Provocation

Julian POV

I thought I had become desensitized to the horrors of war—the screams, the bloodshed, the fallen bodies. Yet, the scene before me was profoundly disturbing.

Cecilia's grief left me at a loss.

I immediately called for an ambulance. Upon their arrival, the medics confirmed that there were no survivors of the 19 wounded. Among the victims was a child, horrifically decapitated.

Pearly identified him as likely being Aaron Shore, the youngest son of Norman, just 13 years old. His silver spaceship toy lay next to his bed, drenched in his blood.

Most victims had either their throats slit, or daggers plunged directly into their hearts. The blades were coated with lethal wolfsbane, rendering even the most adept witch doctor powerless to save them.

Strikingly, there were no signs of struggle at the scene. It appeared as if the victims had been assassinated in their sleep, their faces eerily serene.

Only Norman's body was in a horrifying state. He sustained multiple wounds, his