"Pardon?" Kaelis hears Helios whisper in rage.
The word barely leaves Helios' lips, but the way he says it makes the air feel heavier, like something just snapped beneath the surface.
Kaelis' gaze shifts between them, caught in the middle of something that was quickly spiraling out of control.
Helios' face was red, not just from anger, but from something deeper, something that had been building long before this moment.
Aurien, on the other hand—
Aurien looked…cold.
"I said…shut your mouth," Aurien repeats, his voice steadier now, standing tall despite everything, his gaze locked onto Helios' without flinching.
"Aurien…" Kaelis warns, his voice lower this time, more careful. Not because he didn't agree, not because he didn't understand, but because Helios had just returned.
And Helios likes this—
Was unpredictable.
'He's not thinking straight right now,' Kaelis thought, tension building in his chest. 'This is going to get worse.'
But Helios doesn't even give him a chance.
