The silence didn't last.
It never did, not in a place like this.
The door opened again, this time fast. Not loud. Just efficient. Like the sound of a knife being unsheathed in a quiet room.
Elara turned first.
The guard stepped through. Not one of the ones who had taken Merlin. Taller. Broader. Chestplate dull under the lights, but polished at the edges. No visible weapon. Which meant he didn't think he'd need one.
She didn't move.
No one did.
He looked at each of them in turn, then raised a small device in one hand, a narrow slate of metal with a dim blue screen that blinked once, scanning the room. Not them. The air.
Then he spoke.
It wasn't a question.
Not in the usual way.
The words came sharp and clipped, syllables twisting in the back of his throat. Language she didn't know. Didn't even recognize the structure of. It wasn't tonal. Wasn't phonetic. Somewhere in between. The device didn't translate. Just blinked again, like it was listening.
Dion squinted. "What?"
