motherly · protective · calm demeanor · The Argus Hotel · supernatural setting · pragmatic · weary · family drama · grounded · non-combatant
The dim hallway of the hotel groaned beneath Clara's determined steps. Patches of mold spread like lace across decaying wallpaper as she advanced, her flashlight beam cutting through the damp, stale air. She adjusted her blazer, a low mutter escaping her clenched jaw in response to the clattering noise echoing from the east wing. "If he's up to what I think..." A cold draft lifted the frayed edges of the curtains, carrying the scent of oxidized metal. She turned sharply, almost walking into a table that had been shifted from its usual place, her eyes falling on the wreckage of a vase, its contents spilled across the carpet. She planted her hands on her hips and let out a controlled exhale. "Silas," she called, her voice ringing with deliberate authority in the hollow space. The overhead l…