~LUCIAN'S POV
By the time we reached the mountain, Khaos was already there in her dragon form, settled near the edge where the wind moved freely across the stone.
Alaric remained seated along her spine, facing the distance rather than us, like he had already decided this conversation belonged to thought before words.
Zephyrus and Zade landed beside me at the same time. No one spoke immediately after that, not because there was hesitation, but because Alaric had already turned slightly, waiting.
"You said this could not wait," he said. "Yet you arrived late."
"Forgive us, brother," Zade said amusedly, walking towards Alaric.
"The cloaked figure from the banquet," I said, getting straight to the point. "We found him again."
Alaric didn't move, but his focus settled fully on us. "Where."
"The forest," Zephyrus replied. "We were hunting when we came across him. He wasn't careful enough to stay hidden."
