Ash's gaze darkened slightly as his thoughts spiraled deeper. If he had this freedom, did that mean he was no longer a summon in the traditional sense? Or was this simply a trick of Aether, a side effect of his contract? His claws flexed absently against his arms as a quiet thought slipped into his mind—a whisper of something unsettling.
If I can leave whenever I want… What does that make me?
And then, amidst the storm in his mind, his mind suddenly flicked toward the feline summon. The contrast between them became painfully clear.
The feline had no choice. It had no contract, no bond, nothing tethering it to this world except the temporary grace of Aether. When its time was up, it would simply disappear, pulled back into Aegaryn with no say in the matter.
His ears flicked, and he turned back to Bennet. "And what about the feline?"
