Carter stared at the jade ring on his finger and felt absolutely nothing. There was no pulse of power, no surge of energy, no connection.
Just… emptiness.
Slowly, almost mechanically, he lifted his gaze and locked it onto Rune. "What did you do?" he asked, his voice low and dangerously controlled.
Rune met his eyes, and then... he smiled. It was the same smile Carter had worn moments ago - victorious, cold, and unapologetic.
A flicker of something dark passed through Carter's gaze as Rune only shrugged lightly.
"The ring isn't something you can just take," Rune said calmly. "It responds to its master. If it doesn't accept you…" He tilted his head slightly. "Then maybe it just doesn't want you."
Carter didn't move, didn't even blink for a moment, and then... his expression twisted.
"Don't insult me," he snapped.
The air around him shifted violently as his power surged.
