Kael's golden eyes gleamed.
"Entertain our children and our people well. Show us the spirit of your race, the strength you've been hiding in that misty forest of yours."
Zephyr leaned back, resting his chin on his hand, grin widening.
"And in return, we'll offer you a proposal you won't refuse."
The tone in his voice carried both promise and challenge, Ethan's pulse quickened. He didn't know what they had in mind, but he could feel it, the weight of expectation.
He met each of their gazes through the mirrored veil, and his lips curved into a faint, daring smile.
"Then I'll make sure you're not disappointed."
The mirrors shimmered with a soft hum as the connection began to fade, their reflections dimming one by one. Yet even as the last image flickered out, the laughter of the godlings lingered faintly in the air, half amusement, half approval.
