Chapter 46: House of Cards
Elijah stepped into the dimly lit gambling den, his polished shoes barely making a sound against the stained wooden floor.
The air was thick with the stench of cheap alcohol, cigarette smoke, and desperation an aroma unique to places like this, where men sought fortune but mostly found ruin.
The room pulsed with murmured conversations, the clatter of dice, and the rustling of cards being shuffled.
Shadows flickered under the weak glow of hanging bulbs, casting a grimy, yellowish hue over the assembled gamblers.
Yet, as Elijah took another step forward, the atmosphere shifted.
Voices hushed. Movements slowed.
Even the dice seemed to roll with more restraint, as if the very air had grown heavier in his presence.
Wary eyes flickered in his direction, some with curiosity, others with unease.
Elijah ignored the stares, his crimson eyes scanning the room until they landed on the man he had come to see.
