Keith stood abruptly, his chair scraping back against the wooden floor, echoing in the stillness of the dining room. His heart thudded in his chest, not just from the shock of hearing the name Elius, but from a deep, uneasy churn in his gut.
That name. That aura. The silent pressure in the battlefield just hours ago—the man who had toyed with them like gods watching ants—that man had been in this house?
"I need to get some air," Keith muttered, trying to sound casual, but both his mother and Shania noticed the sudden tension in his voice.
"Keith?" Keisha stood halfway, her hand still holding a spoon.
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead gently. "Stay here with Shania. I'll be back soon."
Before either could ask more, Keith walked toward the front door, slipped into his boots, and disappeared into the dusk outside.
Shania stood, alarmed. "Keith it's dangerous to go alon—!"
But the door closed behind him, and with a subtle burst of light and heat, Keith shot into the sky.
