The silence that followed the Drex's single word was suffocating.
"Master?"
Kieran stared at the Beast sitting on the ground, one eye closed, tears streaming down its face—*his* face. It was deeply unsettling to see himself crying, especially when he felt nothing of the sort.
"What... what did you just say?" Karin's voice was barely a whisper, strained and disbelieving.
The Drex—still wearing Kieran's features—looked up at her with confusion, then back to Kieran with something that could only be described as reverence. "Master," it repeated, this time more firmly.
Karin's pale complexion somehow grew even whiter. She stumbled forward, nearly collapsing as Galand and Vesha struggled to keep her upright.
"No," she breathed. "No, that's not possible. Drex don't... they can't just switch masters. The bond is absolute. It's—" Her voice cracked. "What did you do?"
