Back at the entrance, Kiara stood still, watching everything unfold with quiet attention.
She had not given Baltrow any order.
She did not need to.
The manticore had acted on its own.
A display.
A warning.
A declaration.
Kiara's eyes flickered briefly.
"Good," she thought.
If Baltrow would not fight for her yet, then at least it could serve another purpose.
Fear.
Pressure.
Leverage.
Within moments, General Calden arrived, his boots striking the ground with urgency before he came to an abrupt halt, his gaze snapping toward Baltrow.
Yet—
His focus shifted.
Unintentionally.
Toward Noah.
For a fraction of a second, his disciplined expression cracked, his eyes lingering longer than they should, as if something about her presence disrupted his thoughts.
Then he forced himself back.
Duty first.
A shadow passed overhead.
Wind pressed down.
