Aldric slowly turned his head toward Draven, one eyebrow lifting.
"…And why exactly should I let him go?"
His fingers were still wrapped around the boy's throat, holding him suspended above the sewer water.
"What," Aldric added with a faint smirk, "you've got a problem with me killing him?"
Draven didn't answer immediately.
He simply stepped forward.
One slow step.
Then another.
The faint sound of dripping water echoed through the tunnel as he approached.
When he stopped a few feet away, he spoke again.
"Let go."
Aldric raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
He glanced at the boy dangling in his grip.
"He's of no use."
Draven said nothing else.
He just looked at him.
The silence stretched for a moment.
Then Aldric sighed through his nose.
"…Fine."
His fingers loosened.
He released the boy.
The wolfkin dropped to the ground with a splash, coughing violently as he grabbed his throat and tried to pull air back into his lungs.
Aldric rolled his shoulder slightly.
"Try not to waste my patience again, brat."
Draven stepped closer and stopped beside the boy.
He looked down at him calmly while the boy struggled to catch his breath.
After a moment, Draven spoke.
"So."
His voice was steady.
"What is it you want us to do?"
The boy stayed crouched for a moment, coughing as he held his throat.
Each breath was rough.
Painful.
But he forced himself to steady his breathing.
Draven stood over him silently, waiting.
Finally, the boy lifted his head.
His glowing blue eyes moved briefly across the group before settling on Draven.
"I want your help."
His voice was still hoarse.
"To save someone."
Behind them, Aldric let out a quiet scoff.
"Oh, this should be good."
He leaned against the damp wall with a faint grin.
"You're bargaining for someone else's life now?"
But the boy ignored him.
Draven spoke calmly.
"And what are we saving that someone from?"
The boy's ears flattened slightly against his head.
His jaw tightened.
Then he answered.
"…From the same people chasing me."
The sewer tunnel fell quiet again.
Lyriana's eyes narrowed slightly.
"The ones we just killed one of?"
The boy nodded once.
"There are more of them."
He lowered his gaze briefly.
"They took her."
His claws slowly clenched into fists.
"And if I don't go back…"
His voice hardened.
"…they'll kill her."
Aldric's grin slowly returned.
"Well now."
He pushed himself off the wall.
"Sounds like a lovely little rescue mission."
Then he glanced toward Draven again.
"So?"
He shrugged lightly.
"Are we helping the stray puppy save his friend?"
The tunnel remained quiet after the boy's words.
Aldric's faint grin lingered, but his red eyes had already lost most of their interest.
Draven, however, continued looking down at the boy.
"So," he said calmly, "is that someone also inside this place?"
The boy shook his head immediately.
"No."
His ears twitched slightly.
"She's not here."
He glanced briefly down the dark tunnel they had come from.
"They're keeping her somewhere else."
Lyriana's eyes narrowed.
"Then what are you doing here?"
The boy hesitated.
For a moment it seemed like he might stay silent.
But eventually he answered.
"…I ended up here while trying to escape."
His claws curled slightly against the stone.
"I ran."
Aldric snorted.
"Oh, I see."
He folded his arms.
"So you ran away alone."
His grin returned faintly.
"But now your conscience is bothering you, so you want to go back and play hero."
The boy's head snapped up.
He glared at Aldric.
Pure hostility burned in his blue eyes.
Aldric noticed immediately.
His expression darkened slightly.
"Careful, brat."
His voice lowered.
"If you keep looking at me like that…"
His fingers flexed slowly.
"…I might just pull your eyes out."
The boy didn't respond, but his jaw tightened.
Draven spoke again before the tension could escalate further.
"Alright."
His voice was calm.
"Lead the way to where she is."
The boy froze.
Then his ears slowly drooped.
"…I can't."
Aldric's brow twitched.
"Oh?"
The boy looked down.
"I don't know where they're keeping her."
Silence lingered in the damp tunnel.
Aldric stared at the boy for a long moment.
Then he dragged a hand down his face.
"…You're joking."
The boy's fists clenched tighter.
Lyriana looked completely unimpressed.
"So you want us to rescue someone…"
"…but you don't even know where she is?"
The boy didn't answer.
His jaw remained tight.
Aldric exhaled heavily.
"Fantastic."
He tilted his head back and looked at the sewer ceiling.
"We're negotiating with an idiot."
Then he dropped his gaze back to the boy, irritation clear on his face.
"If you have **no idea** where that someone is, how the hell do you expect to save them?"
He stepped forward slightly.
"Damn it, we're just wasting time with this brat."
His eyes narrowed.
"Do you even know where **any** airship is?"
"Or were you just making things up to stay alive?"
The boy's ears twitched sharply.
"I'm not lying."
Aldric scoffed.
"Oh really?"
The boy lifted his head and looked straight at him.
"I know where the airship is."
The tunnel grew quiet again.
Aldric raised an eyebrow.
"Is that so?"
The boy nodded once.
"…Because I was on it."