Bastian's chuckle rolled through the air, low and infectious, the kind of laugh that made it impossible not to smile along. His piercing blue eyes sparkled with mischief as he leaned closer to Alex, like he was about to let him in on some inside joke.
His ruffled brown hair flopped messily over his forehead, giving him a look of easygoing chaos, like he couldn't quite be bothered to tame it, and honestly, didn't care to.
"Oh, yeah, man, the Council's got you under a microscope," he said, his voice smooth and teasing, laced with a dramatic flair that made the words sound like a dare. "They'll be monitoring you super closely, might even be watching you right now."
He paused, his lopsided grin widening, his charcoal tunic creasing as he shifted, one hand gesturing vaguely at the corridor around them.
"Especially Lucian, that old man's so cynical, he probably thinks you're hiding a dragon in your cloak. Doesn't trust anyone, that guy."
