Yara watched Rian and the sorcerer speak in confusion and slight relief. The man's attention was fully on Rian and this gave them a chance to try to escape their bindings.
The sorcerer watched them with quiet amusement, his eyes flicking between their tense forms.
Yara and Val stood frozen from the neck down, bound by the invisible magic locking them in place. Rian, standing off to the side, was free—watching, waiting.
"You two make quite the pair," the sorcerer mused, circling them. His voice was smooth, coaxing. "The ever-loyal dragon kin and the human with a dragon's mark."
He stopped beside Yara, his fingers brushing his chin thoughtfully. "Tell me, child… What is it like to have a beast breathing down your neck at all hours?"
Yara's jaw tightened. The magic pinning her in place felt even heavier now, though she knew it hadn't actually changed.
The sorcerer smiled knowingly. "The way he hovers, guards, clutches at you like you're made of glass. It must be tiring, no?"
