Kain stood over Airalai in the interrogation cell, his hand twitching on whether or not to signal a death blow to the Vespid guards, their stingers poised like loaded guns at her neck.
Chewy, his young spore contract, clung to her shoulder, its small form swelling as it absorbed the pulsing sigil's energy, dimming its glow but not extinguishing it.
Perhaps because Chewy wasn't so tiny that he was invisible after swelling up with energy, or perhaps the Black Dawn didn't realize the full diversity that was the 'Etherites', but Airalai could never have imagined that one of the terrifying creatures she'd just described to Kain was now latched onto he shoulder.
The team—Darrius, Malzahir, Jax, and Miya—watched from outside the glass panel, their silence heavy with anticipation of an impending attack if they don't block the signal.
Kain's mind churned, weighing his options with cold precision:
Option A: Get it over with and kill her.
