Dorian took a deep, steadying breath, the chaos of the battlefield fading into a dull roar in the background of his mind.
He understood the game she was playing.
This witch, this Bonnie, was trying to bait him. She wanted him to feel like he had a choice, to make him think that following her to Yahoshi was his idea. It was a classic negotiation tactic: create a false dilemma, force the target to pick the path of least resistance.
But Dorian Aurelian did not play by other people's rules.
He glanced to the side. His sister, Yelena, was already engaging the massive Doom Walkers, her flames painting streaks of orange against the panic-stricken campus. The first-year students were scrambling, terrified, trying to evacuate under the cover of the smoke.
He didn't have time to waste on a witch who thought she could manipulate him with vague promises and cryptic smiles.
