Location:Hidden Valley, Eastern Ranges — Luminari stone ring, inside Isha's privacy ward
Date/Time:Mid Frostforge, 9939 AZI — late afternoon, fading
Realm:Lower Realm
Yinglong answered first. Honest by compulsion or by nature — Jayde couldn't tell which.
"We didn't expect two silver queens. We are not sure who we serve."
The words landed.
Jayde's reaction was visceral.
"Not me."
Two words. Flat. Vehement. The temperature of the dome dropped, and it had nothing to do with the frost.
Because Yinglong and Xingteng had disguised themselves. They had worn human faces. They'd run missions beside her, fought in formation with her, supplied her with materials she couldn't source on her own — and the whole time, the faces she'd trusted had been masks. Dragons wearing skin that wasn't theirs.
