Rory found herself quietly reflecting on the situation. When I saved Sylas Ruan, she thought, I didn't even say a single word to him—yet he was already scrambling to repay the debt.
Beside her, Jasper felt a sharp, instinctive urge rise in his chest—the kind that whispered it would be easier to simply erase that foolish Sylas Ruan from existence. The thought was cold, efficient… and completely unfit for Rory's ears. In her presence, Jasper masked it perfectly, allowing none of that killing intent to surface.
Instead, he smiled and spoke lightly, though his words carried a subtle warning.
"Rory, judging someone purely by how capable they seem on the surface can be dangerously misleading," Jasper said, carefully sifting through every word. "Sylas Ruan might look efficient and composed, but his methods are anything but clean once you look closer and see what he's all about."
