The chamber went very still around them.
The Vanguard still thundered. Raw red ether still flashed through the intake. The gate still sat across the bridge like a sealed wound in old metal and stolen history.
But between the two men, the air tightened.
Arik looked at Alexander for a long moment.
Most men would have stepped back after saying something like that. Most men would have realized, too late, that they had named the hidden thing in the room and tried to retreat from it before it developed teeth.
Alexander only remained where he was, broad and still and planted between Arik and the rest of the chamber with the stubborn, unpolished courage of a man who had decided his job was more important than fear.
"How do you know about my channels?" Arik asked, tilting his head, though his golden eyes were not nearly as casual as his voice.
Alexander was silent for a moment.
Not because he feared the question.
