Kaiden and I stood there for a moment longer than necessary, neither of us speaking. His gaze remained fixed on me, steady and unreadable, while I held it without wavering.
The hall, which had just been filled with tension and noise, now felt strangely still, as though everyone present was waiting for him to decide what to do next.
Eventually, he let out a quiet breath and looked away first.
"Leave," he said to the others.
There was no hesitation in his voice, no room for argument. One by one, the faes began to move, though not all of them were quick to obey. A few lingered just long enough to glance back at me, their expressions ranging from curiosity to clear distrust, before finally stepping out of the hall. The doors closed behind them, leaving only the two of us in the now empty space.
Kaiden turned slightly and gestured forward. "Come."
I paused for half a second.
That was… easier than I expected.
[Host is suspicious.]
'I expected resistance.'
