Aldric watched her smile.
Didn't return it.
Didn't react to it.
Just… watched.
Then—
he spoke.
"…So."
A small tilt of his head.
"…You're here to make sure the half-demon doesn't die."
His eyes shifted—
back to Seryna—
to the girl in her arms.
"…Guess that's what the brat was thinking when he let you follow."
A pause.
The bottle lifted.
A slow drink.
Unbothered.
"…Wonder why he bothered."
Another swallow.
A faint exhale.
"…Oh well."
His shoulders eased slightly.
Casual.
"…Doesn't matter."
A glance across all of them.
Measured.
"…You can keep going."
A beat.
"…But since you decided to come on board—"
His gaze settled again—
on the girl.
"…you're holding your lifeline in your arms."
Silence.
Heavy.
Then—
"…You know what that means."
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Aldric's voice didn't change.
"…If she dies—"
A small pause.
"…you all go with her."
—
Shock hit the room—
quiet—
but sharp.
Lucien's breath caught.
Tharic's grip tightened instinctively.
Kaelira's smile thinned—
just slightly.
Seryna—
didn't move.
But her hold—
tightened.
Aldric watched it all.
Unimpressed.
Another drink.
"…You look surprised."
Flat.
"…What did you expect?"
His eyes moved—
one by one—
across them.
"…Kindness?"
A faint scoff.
"…From him?"
A shake of his head.
"…He's anything but kind."
A pause.
"…If he hasn't killed you yet—"
His gaze sharpened just a fraction.
"…it's because you're still useful."
The words settled.
Cold.
Certain.
"…So you'd better stay that way."
Another drink.
Unhurried.
Then—
his tone shifted.
Not louder.
Just… clearer.
"…But this won't be enough."
A beat.
"…Five of you—"
His eyes flicked between them.
"…for one person?"
A small tilt of his head.
"…That's inefficient."
Silence tightened.
"…Three is enough."
—
The moment the words landed—
mana surged.
Sharp.
Instinctive.
They moved.
Not coordinated—
but immediate.
Distance.
Space.
Positioning.
Lucien stepped back—
eyes locked.
Tharic shifted wide—
weapon ready.
Kaelira slid to the side—
smile gone—
eyes sharp.
Lucien's sister moved—
precise—
silent—
already calculating angles.
Seryna didn't retreat far—
but enough.
Her stance changed—
subtle—
protective.
Her eyes—
locked on Aldric.
Golden.
Focused.
Guarded.
The room stilled again.
But this time—
it wasn't frozen.
It was on edge.
Because now—
they understood.
This wasn't a warning.
—
It was selection.
Aldric just stared at them.
Still.
Unmoved.
Then—
"…What the hell are you doing?"
Quiet.
But the air shifted with it.
His crimson eyes lit—
not flaring—
just… *present.*
None of them flinched.
Not this time.
Kaelira smiled.
Not wide.
Not playful.
Sharp.
"…That girl said it herself."
A slight tilt of her head.
"…You'd kill us."
Aldric's gaze flicked to her—
then paused.
A beat.
Recognition.
"…Which girl—"
It clicked.
Fast.
His jaw tightened.
"…That damn rat bastard…"
Low.
Irritated.
"…I'll kill her."
Seryna stiffened slightly—
not moving—
but ready.
Aldric exhaled through his nose—
dragging a hand briefly through his hair.
"…I hate her."
Flat.
"…So damn annoying."
A glance aside—
then back.
"…Always running her mouth."
Another breath.
He looked at them again.
Really looked this time.
Measuring.
Then—
"…If I wanted you dead—"
A small step forward.
"…you'd already be dead."
No emphasis.
No threat.
Just fact.
"…The strongest one here—"
His eyes flicked briefly across them—
landing—
assessing.
"…fourth star at best."
A pause.
"…Why would I bother talking?"
Silence.
Tight.
Controlled.
Kaelira spoke anyway.
"…So what do you want to do?"
Aldric's gaze snapped back to her.
Sharp.
Cold.
"…Shut up."
Flat.
Final.
"…One more word out of you—"
The air dipped.
Just slightly.
"…and I'll stop talking."
Silence held.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
They just watched him.
Aldric smiled.
Not wide.
Not friendly.
Just enough.
"…Alright."
A slow breath.
"…This is how it's going to work."
He shifted the bottle slightly in his hand—
casual.
Like none of this mattered.
"…All five of you babysitting one person?"
A faint shake of his head.
"…That's not going to work."
A step forward.
Measured.
"…That still makes you useless."
The word landed flat.
No emotion.
Just judgment.
His eyes moved across them again—
deciding.
"…Three of you—"
A slight tilt of his head toward Seryna.
"…stay."
A pause.
"…Keep her alive."
Then—
his gaze shifted.
To Lucien.
To Tharic.
"…You two—"
A small gesture with the bottle.
"…go to the pilot."
A beat.
"…Ask what needs to be done to keep this thing flying without problems."
His voice didn't rise.
Didn't need to.
"…Do it immediately."
A pause.
"…I won't repeat myself."
The air tightened again.
Final.
Decided.
Then—
he stepped past them.
Like the conversation was already over.
"…The rest of you—"
A glance over his shoulder.
"…keep doing what you need to."
His eyes flicked once more to the girl.
"…Feed her whatever works."
Another step.
Then—
he stopped.
Just slightly.
Without turning.
"…Don't touch the booze."
Flat.
A beat.
"…If I come back—"
His grip on the bottle tightened just a fraction.
"…and there's nothing left to drink—"
A small pause.
"…I won't mind having one of you instead."
Silence.
Heavy.
Deliberate.
Then—
"…I'm a vampire."
A faint smirk.
No humor in it.
Just truth.
And with that—
he flew out of the kitchen.
No rush.
No hesitation.
Like everything behind him—
was already handled.
The door slid shut.
And the room—
felt smaller without him.
For a moment—
no one moved.
No one spoke.
The door had already closed—
but the weight he left behind—
hadn't.
Tharic exhaled first.
Slow.
Controlled.
"…Yeah."
A dry swallow.
"…That tracks."
Lucien didn't answer.
His eyes were still on the door.
Thinking.
Processing.
Then—
"…We do it."
Quiet.
Firm.
He turned.
Looking at the others.
"…No arguments."
A pause.
"…We move."
Seryna didn't look at him.
Her attention stayed on the girl.
But she spoke.
"…Three stay."
A beat.
"…Two go."
Simple.
Already accepted.
Kaelira rolled her shoulder once—
loosening tension.
"…Guess that's decided then."
A faint smirk returned—
but thinner now.
"…I'm staying."
Lucien's sister spoke immediately.
"…I stay too."
No hesitation.
Her eyes shifted to Seryna.
"…She needs stability."
Seryna nodded once.
"…Then it's settled."