Kael slowed his steps, casting a glance toward Dominic as they moved toward the inner corridor.
"I assume he's gotten the briefing?" he asked.
Dominic nodded once. "Fully. I've also completed the preliminary preparations."
"Hm…" Kael hummed, the sound quiet and unreadable. Then, without warning, he turned back toward Damien, eyes narrowing just slightly.
A pulse of mana flickered—silent, sharp.
It wasn't aggressive. But it wasn't soft either.
It brushed against Damien's chest, crept across his arms, probed along the threads of his spiritual pathways—not entering, not forcing its way in, just… feeling.
Damien stiffened slightly at the sensation.
It wasn't pain. But it was invasive. Like having cold fingers glide beneath the skin, tugging at nerves that weren't meant to be touched. The mana carried a density Damien hadn't felt before—not like his father's controlled weight, not the pressure of Resonation. This one felt alive. Fluid. Tense.
Like it was waiting to coil.
