Elder Ramirez recovered quickly from his shock, his momentary surprise vanishing beneath the smooth veneer of his usual unreadable expression. His lips curled into a slow, unnerving smile, the kind that never quite reached his eyes, the kind that spoke of hidden motives and twisted games. He took a step forward, his sharp gaze sweeping over Kaius and Raya like a predator assessing prey.
"So… you return," he mused, his voice laced with mock amusement. "Quite early, I might say. And you did not use the main gate. Interesting choice. Tell me... did you abandon the mission to arrive so soon?"
Kaius didn’t rise to the bait. He knew exactly what the elder was trying to do: provoke a reaction, make them slip, force them into a mistake. But Kaius had played these games before as he saw similar b
