*"Where are you going?"*
Kain's voice was steady, but something beneath it carried an edge. Not suspicion, not hostility—just a quiet demand for an answer. *"You're just going to walk out there alone?"*
Malzahir stopped mid-step, his back to them, his fingers still curled faintly from where they had held Idrias' ring.
*"I have no reason to stay."* His voice was level, almost detached. He didn't turn around. *"I was only here to deliver the ring. That's done."*
Serena narrowed her eyes. "We aren't demanding that you leave now that we've gotten what we needed from you." She seemed slightly offended that their character may have been perceived that way. Unsure if he understood her words, she nudged Kain wordlessly—her first direct interaction with him in what felt like hours—and he translated for her.
Malzahir shrugged as if their offer to stay didn't matter. *"Nothing is keeping me here."*
Kain's expression darkened. *"You do realize you'll die, right?"*
