Jack's jaw clenched, his right hand curling into a fist at his side. "Because one of the dragons inside me wants to meet him. And I need to understand why."
The admission carried weight that transcended simple explanation.
Jack was acknowledging the entities bound within his soul, creatures whose motivations and agendas remained partially opaque even to their contractor.
Alaric studied his son's transformed appearance for a long moment.
The blood-soaked hair, the mismatched eyes burning with elemental power, the missing hand that showed his desperate choices made under impossible pressure.
Then he nodded slowly.
"Very well. But this is... unusual. Drakon rarely agrees to meetings, even with other contracted entities."
He stepped closer to Jack, their height difference was minima.
Both men standing over six feet, though Alaric's broader frame made him appear more massive.
His discerning gaze met Jack's with an intensity that held an imminent and significant undertaking.
