Jack slowly raised his hand.
"Wait…" he said, staring at Skully with a complicated expression. "Did you just say Imperia?"
Skully tilted his head. "Yes, young master. Imperia."
Jack's fingers curled slowly.
His usual playful smile never appeared.
For once, he had nothing to say.
…
They didn't waste time.
The moment Skully finished his report, Nox summoned his dragon in one smooth motion. The massive beast ripped through space as if it had been waiting on the other side.
A thunderous roar echoed across the frosty plains.
"Skully, you're coming," Nox said. "Use the ant as a mount. I want you close."
"Understood, Master." Skully bowed slightly, then tapped the ant drone's head. The huge creature skittered across the snow as if it were flat stone, every movement precise and controlled.
Nox and Jack stepped onto the dragon's back.
The wind howled the instant they shot into the sky. The dragon flapped its wings, the world shrinking beneath them.
For a while, Nox said nothing.
