"Who the hell is that?" Adrien whispered. His voice was barely audible over the sudden silence.
Emerald's heart pounded in her chest like war drums, every instinct in her body screaming in warning.
The Rogue King stood in the centre of the mine's mouth, half-cloaked in shadow, golden eyes glowing like twin suns. His posture was relaxed, almost amused, as though this were a performance he'd long been waiting to enjoy.
No one spoke.
For a full minute, the four of them: Emerald, Kieran, Lucien, and Adrien, simply stared at him, dumbfounded. There was something about his presence that seemed to freeze time itself.
Lucien stepped in front of Emerald, positioning himself between her and the intruder. His tone was cautious and sharp as he spoke. "Who are you? And how did you get in here?"
The Rogue King's smile was thin and sharp. "Let's not be rude now."
He glanced past Lucien, directly at Emerald, tilting his head as though they were alone. "Go on, tell them who I am, little wolf."
