What kind of organization wielded a seventh-star mage as a mere team leader? In Solaris, the seventh star crowned the heads of ancient families, their sun's rank etched into centuries of legacy.
'He's hiding his strength,' Baines thought, his gaze piercing the team leader's calm facade. Perhaps it was his magic sharpening his senses, or the nearness of grandmaster status, but Baines saw through the subtle tells.
This display clarified much. There were countless strong people in the world, not limited to what he could see in Solaris.
If Baines had learned compromise with a future enemy the hard way, now he was learning to tread even more cautiously. Yet, he didn't want to dwell on potential or future enemies when he already had loads of them.
