~Denzel
Ardent was still pinned to the ground, wrists bound in glowing cuffs. His breath came short, ragged against the cold metal floor. The red lights painted everything in the room the same colour as blood.
The soldiers fanned out in a half-circle around Kendrix and me, their rifles trained steady. The hum of charged mana filled the air — the sound of restraint, not mercy.
Calen stood behind them, hands folded neatly behind his back. His coat looked untouched by the chaos he’d created. “Restrain them,” he said. His tone was soft, but the kind that made you move faster.
One of the guards stepped forward. The chain in his hand hissed faintly with energy.
I met Kendrix’s eyes.
He didn’t need to say anything. Neither did I.
The first soldier reached for my shoulder.
I exhaled once,
