Chapter 162: A Monster
Alex’s gaze lingered on the beast before him.
Aetheria sat down, her crimson clothes catching the light from the sunlit canopy above like burning embers frozen mid-flight. Her red-golden eyes—sharp and knowing—were unfocused, gazing past them, trapped in the snare of her thoughts.
She was no longer the proud, domineering ruler of the skies. In that brief, unguarded moment, she looked... contemplative. Troubled, even.
The words Nyxara had spoken—lighthearted as they seemed—had shaken something loose inside her. An idea. A memory. A question she hadn’t thought possible.
Alex watched her with interest, noting the subtle furrow in her brow, the barely perceptible twitch in her clawed fingers as they flexed and relaxed by her sides. For someone so composed, so full of arrogant grace, the cracks were surprisingly human.
Beside him, Nyxara shifted on her haunches, her tail curling lazily. Though she tried to mask it, the corners of her feline mouth twitched in barely suppressed amusement. Her body language was relaxed, but her golden eyes gleamed with satisfaction. Watching Aetheria’s disbelief had become a personal show—and she was thoroughly enjoying the performance.
After several long moments, Aetheria inhaled slowly and lifted her chin, smoothing her expression like a curtain being drawn over a stage.
When she looked at them again, her usual regal presence returned in full. The faltering curiosity melted beneath the surface, buried once more under the weight of her pride. She coughed softly, wings rustling behind her as she prepared to speak.
"If you don’t mind," she began, her voice refined and measured, "I would like to ask a question—especially to you, Alex—"
But she didn’t get the chance to finish.
Alex’s voice cut through the air like a blade.