Meng Ji stepped between them, looking from Raelius to Kaidën, then back again.
"Raelius—"
"Stay out of this!" he barked. "This is between me and him!"
A breeze passed through, carrying tension like a silent scream.
Kaidën's gaze flicked up, just briefly, and for the first time all day, his eyes sharpened.
"…You sure you want a round two?" he asked, voice low.
No more humor. No more mockery. Just a quiet edge in his words. One that made even Meng Ji go still.
Raelius gritted his teeth. "You humiliated me in front of everyone."
"No," Kaidën said, stepping forward at last, his voice now cold and calm. "You humiliated yourself. I just didn't stop you."
The two stood face to face, the air around them charged like a coming storm.
And just before anything could explode—
A bell rang in the distance. Distant, eerie.
Dong…
