The living room radiated warmth, but not the kind born of comfort — it was curated, minimal. Floor-to-ceiling glass curved in a sweeping arc over Central Park, a view so rare that even most millionaires would never touch it. The skyline glittered like a necklace against the dark, every light another jewel in New York’s crown.

  Inside, the space was a cathedral of wealth. Black marble floors polished to a mirror shine. A chandelier of sculpted crystal hovering like frozen rain. Leather couches stretched long and low across the room, stitched with care that spoke of power, not taste.

  And in the middle of it all, Vix slouched like a fracture in the scene. His boots were thrown up on the couch’s arm, his posture defiling its perfection. His long black coat lay discarded on the floor, leaving him in nothing but a white shirt and black vest. An ice pack pressed to his temple as his hair hung frayed and wild, strands spilling into his eyes. The exhaustion rolling off him was heavier than the glass walls, heavier than the fortune wrapped around him.

  For a man used to being untouchable, he looked utterly finished.

  “Well… you’ve certainly seen better days.” A voice drifted from behind him, calm, soothing, yet defensive.

  “Sire?”

  “Yes.”

  “…I yelled at the kid.”

  “Oh.” Kai simply replied.

  Vix groaned and pressed the ice pack harder against his forehead, as though he could bury the memory beneath the cold.

  “Seems like… good character development.”

  “Are you serious?!” Vix snapped, lowering the ice pack just enough to glare. His irritation cracked through his exhaustion.

  Kai only shrugged, the gesture careless, before strolling past the couch to stand before the towering windows.

  “This is a good view.”

  “Is it?” Vix hissed, then drew in a long, unsteady breath and shook his head. “God… what am I doing…”

  “When was the last time I saw you home, Commander?”

  Vix stayed silent, eyes clouded as he searched his own memories and came up empty.

  “Ahh. And in there lies your fault.”

  “I know, Sire…” Vix muttered, voice low.

  “You should really take a break.”

  “You know I can’t. Not when so many people count on me.”

  Kai’s tone sharpened without rising. “I don’t recall it being called the Vix Squad.”

  “What?!” Vix snapped, springing to his feet, fists curling with rage. “You know that argument is meaningless!”

  “You are the second person in the recent history of humanity to reach and the Ace status.” Kai’s gaze didn’t waver, his words steady as stone. “I understand the weight of that. But it doesn’t mean you surrender your life, or your will, to service.”

  “I serve you! I serve the people of this world! My life isn’t mine—it never has been! This is the kind of conversation you have with a teenager! Just—what do you want?!”

  Kai stepped closer, the warmth of his earlier tone gone. “I don’t want anything. I this. You are hereby relieved of all missions, effective immed—”

  “SIRE!”

  “Immediately, Nepton.”

  The silence cut sharper than the order itself. Vix froze, stunned, as though the words had broken something inside him.

  Kai’s eyes narrowed. “See? Take away your duties as an Enforcer… then what are you?”

  Vix’s gaze sank to the floor.

  “You aren’t even Vix Nepton anymore.”

  Kai glanced down at his watch, then continued, his tone measured but unyielding.

  “You and the child are more similar than you think.”

  “I… I think I’ve made things worse for her. She was struggling so much…”

  “I understand. Hence why I said good character development.”

  “That’s awful, Sire. Cruel. So unlike you… and more like… .” Vix lifted his eyes, shoulders squared though his defenses sagged.

  “One cannot attain anything in life without first struggling.”

  “Hasn’t she suffered enough?”

  Kai fell silent. His expression shifted back toward the glass, the city burning gold in its reflection.

  “…Sire?”

  “Sorry. Just a really stunning view.”

  Vix blinked, unamused. And then it hit him.

  “Your Majestry… how much of this did you anticipate?”

  Kai’s lips curled into the faintest smile.

  “Surprisingly too little.”

  #

  “Oh goddammit, Chase! Do you know how embarrassing that was?!” Britlex barked, booting a table over.

  “I—I understand, my lord. But—”

  “Why did you even do that?!”

  “Sir?”

  “You made that stupid portal, saved me from that rat-faced—fuck—then hurled me into the lap of some snot-nosed peasant child?!”

  “I—I—”

  “No! I don’t want to hear it! I would’ve killed that mongrel if it wasn’t for the confines of the — oh, you know — MOST FUCKING POWERFUL ACADEMY IN THE WHOLE WORLD?!”

  “Sir!”

  “WHAT?!”

  “I… I have some news regarding the egg…”

  “What?”

  “The life form we’re searching for… might not be reptilian in nature after all.”

  “Not… ? Since when does a dragon not hatch from a dragon egg?”

  “I believe it might be a human.”

  “…You’ve got to be shitting me.”

  “I didn’t create that portal either, sir.”

  “You didn’t?”

  “No. This is the first I’ve heard of it.”

  “…How could that be? That portal slung me into—wait a minute.”

  Chase tilted his head at Britlex.

  “The portal… you didn’t open it, you say? Not only did I appear in a completely different place, but at a different as well.”

  “Sir?”

  “I… it was only a few seconds for me. But when I landed, it was already days later on the academy grounds. Quick—tell me the date!”

  “Today’s November second.”

  “That doesn’t sound like October twenty-sixth.”

  “No, sir…”

  Britlex rubbed his chin, then began to prance from one side of their abandoned warehouse to the other, his boots scuffing against cracked concrete.

  “Quick. What makes you so sure it’s a human we’re looking for?”

  “The radars we've made from the crushed egg shells. It pointed to her. Her last memories were in some desert. It seems she might also attend the very same academy you landed in.”

  “The most heavily guarded jewel of the elite…” Britlex muttered, his eyes narrowing.

  “Indeed, sir. Her name is Rin. She studies at Kormadyne.”

  “Rin, you say?”

  “She has long brown hair. Fair complexion. Looks like she’s about to cry at any given moment.”

  “The girl I saw had long brown hair and pale skin.”

  “Did she look like she’d break into tears?”

  “She was already broken into…” Britlex smirked.

  “…Then I believe we may have found our life’s work.”

  “I knew it! Fate was on my side after all! Ha!” Britlex shouted proudly into the air, his laughter rattling through the empty rafters.

  “When do we go after her?”

  “Now, Chase.”

  #

  “Rin! Don’t put that in!” Eddie shouted as he rushed over to her side.

  It was already too late. She dropped the frog leg into her mini cauldron, and it erupted with a muffled

  before ejecting a stream of black sludge that somehow glistened with a pink, shimmering film. The mess splattered across the table, catching Eddie across the cheek.

  “Ugh! Now I look diseased!” Eddie groaned, pawing at the slime.

  Chippy snorted so hard she nearly dropped her own vial. “It’s an improvement.”

  “Shut up!” Eddie shot back, wiping furiously with his sleeve, only to smear the sludge even further.

  The instructor—Professor Caldrane, who looked like a man perpetually three days past caring—barely glanced up from his oversized kettle. “If it isn’t glowing , children, you’ve done it wrong.” He stirred lazily, letting sparks pop over his cauldron.

  Rin stared down at her bubbling concoction, her cheeks hot with embarrassment. The others were laughing, teasing, and fighting as usual, and yet she felt… apart. Her hands tightened on the rim of the cauldron, knuckles pale.

  Her mind flickered back to Vix’s voice, sharp as a blade. The words clung to her louder than Eddie’s whining, louder than Chippy’s giggling. She tried to push them away, tried to laugh with the others, but the hollow ache pressed in harder.

  The cauldron gave a sudden , spitting out another glob of black-pink slime that plopped onto Eddie’s shoe.

  “Oh for—Rin!” Eddie yelped, hopping back on one foot.

  Chippy doubled over laughing. “She’s gonna poison us all before midterms!”

  Despite herself, Rin let out the tiniest laugh. Just a breath. Just a crack in the gloom.

  “H-Hey, guys… um… Edward? C-Can I help you clean up?” a boy stammered softly from behind Eddie.

  “What? can clean this up?” Eddie turned, dripping sludge onto the floor.

  “Y-Yeah… I’m good with cleaning spells…”

  Rin glanced back and noticed him for the first time. His complexion was a deep, rich brown—sleek and smooth like silk—blending against the black long-sleeve shirt beneath his academy vest. The deep navy pants of the school uniform blended seamlessly with the rest, making him almost too easy to overlook.

  The boy raised his wand, flicked it carefully to the left, then twirled it to the right. Heated water shimmered into existence beneath Eddie’s shoes and spiraled upward in a sudden rush.

  “H-Hold your breath, Eddie!”

  Eddie sucked in air just as the water cascaded over him, scrubbing away the sludge in seconds… and leaving him completely soaked.

  “Let me guess. You didn’t think about the drying part,” Eddie deadpanned, water dripping off his chin.

  “N-No…” the boy admitted sheepishly.

  “Thanks a lot, Oby!” Eddie huffed, squelching back toward his desk with every step.

  Chippy buried her face in her sleeve, her shoulders shaking as she tried—and failed—to smother her laughter. Rin giggled nervously too, while Oby offered them a small smile… then nearly tripped over his own feet as he shuffled back to his seat.

  Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

  “Who was that boy?” Rin asked, tugging gently at Chippy’s sleeve.

  “I don’t know! But he totally got Eddie for me!”

  “Did you set him up?!”

  “No!!! But I wish I did!” Chippy wheezed, finally calming from her laughter.

  Class wrapped up, and the trio wandered the halls together, skipping the cafeteria entirely.

  “Can you believe that dummy? Grr!” Eddie muttered, still wringing out his sleeve.

  “Calm down, Eddie. He was just trying to help,” Rin said softly.

  “Yeah… he

  alright!” Chippy added with a sly grin, snickering again.

  Eddie rolled his eyes and pouted. “Whatever. Let’s just go to the athenaeum and look for those books!”

  “Aw…” Rin groaned, dragging her feet.

  “Jeez! What’s with you, Rin?” Eddie asked, narrowing his eyes.

  “Yeah, you’ve been super moody lately. Is it ‘cause I made you watch those horror movies?” Chippy teased, giggling as she nudged Rin’s arm.

  “H-Have I really? I didn’t mean to…” Rin whispered, guilt tugging at her voice.

  “Besides, that’s not important!” Eddie said, puffing his chest out like a little soldier. “We need to get to the bottom of that ”

  “” Britlex whispered, tailing the kids with a mischievous grin. At barely five-foot-five, his shorter frame let him slip seamlessly into the crowd of students. His blond hair glinted under the hall lights, and with the crisp academy uniform snug on his shoulders, he could’ve fooled anyone. A master of disguise playing the role of a boy half his age.

  “My lord… is this really the best plan you could come up with?” Chase hissed, hugging the wall.

  “What! You said getting her drunk would ruin the plan!” Britlex shot back in a harsh whisper.

  “Besides the insanity of trying to get a child tipsy, I’d hoped you wouldn’t disguise yourself… as a ”

  “You’re one to talk. Your entire disguise is just sunglasses.” Britlex rolled his eyes. “Do not speak to me.”

  Chase groaned, shuffling dramatically to the next corner, coat tails dragging.

  “And you dare call

  an idiot?!” Britlex snapped, snatching Chase by the collar.

  “No, sir! I—I only meant… the blond hair suits you well!”

  “Thanks!” Britlex flashed a wide grin, shaking his collar free before striding into the athenaeum.

  Britlex trailed the children until they started up the stairs toward a shadowed wing of the library. With practiced ease, he strode right past as if he had no interest in their path, plucking a book from a shelf at random. He cracked it open, flipping a page as though fascinated.

  Once he was certain no eyes lingered on him, he muttered a cloaking spell under his breath. His form shimmered, becoming almost transparent—unseen unless someone was deliberately searching. Closing the book with a soft , he hurried up the stairs and found a vantage point, watching the children from a distance.

  “Alright… I’ve been practicing the contradictions. Mister Chase was right—it really is easy. Just three spells back-to-back and we should be in!” Eddie whispered, his voice buzzing with excitement.

  “You’re the nerd. Get us in, tiny!” Chippy teased, giving him a playful shove.

  Eddie groaned, already lifting his wand as Rin stood behind them, caught between nerves and curiosity.

  Britlex tilted his head, lips curling faintly.

  “Okay… here I go… !” Eddie whispered, flicking his wand at the heavy door. A sharp spark leapt forward, striking the surface. One shimmering layer of runes dissolved like sand in water.

  “!” Another spark, another veil of symbols peeling away into nothing.

  “!” The last sigil fractured with a hiss, vanishing as the great door groaned open on its own.

  “It worked!” Chippy whispered, pumping her fist.

  “Shh! Let’s go!” Eddie urged, slipping inside. The girls followed, and just before the door swung shut, Britlex slid through unnoticed.

  “Alright… where do we start…” Eddie muttered, eyes darting along the rows of shelves.

  “The sorting is terrible…” Chippy complained, dragging her finger across dusty spines. “So much for a secret stash of forbidden texts… do the professors even know how to find anything in here?”

  “I don’t know…” Rin murmured, her voice caught in awe.

  The moment she stepped fully inside, the air shifted. The room appeared no larger than half a floor from the outside, but within, the ceiling stretched impossibly high—at least three stories, stacked with shelves that seemed to climb into shadow. The aisles extended far past where the academy walls should have ended, bending into a labyrinth that mocked reality.

  It was darker here than anywhere else in the athenaeum. Lanterns hung in the rows, each cradling a restless sphere of pale light that bounced and swirled inside its glass prison, casting faint glimmers every few shelves. Between those weak pools of glow, shadows pooled thick and heavy, leaving long stretches in near-darkness.

  Rin hugged her arms to herself, unsettled. The contrast was too sharp—bright sunlight pouring in the windows outside, and this eerie, crafted gloom inside. The deception was deliberate, almost taunting.

  “Hey look! There’s a study table! Perfect! Let’s set up there. We only have forty more minutes before next class starts!” Eddie said before running up to a shelf and skimming through the books.

  “Rin! Go look for some books! I’ll hold the table!” Chippy said with a bright thumbs up and a grin that was way too confident.

  Rin narrowed her eyes suspiciously. She remembered how tightly Chippy had clung to her during those horror movies, shrieking at every shadow.

  “Come on, Rin! We don’t have all day!” Eddie whisper-shouted, hunched over the table already skimming through a book.

  “Yeah… on it!” Rin muttered before darting two aisles down.

  Each shelf bore faint, hasty scribbles to mark its contents: Rin blinked at that one—why on earth did it deserve an entire section?

  The deeper she went, the quieter it felt. Her steps echoed too loudly, and the faint lantern glow seemed swallowed by the looming shelves. She hugged herself tighter as she walked, her breath catching at every creak of the wood around her.

  She drifted into a section worth exploring. One especially dusty tome caught her eye—its cracked spine read: Rin plucked it free, coughing as the powder of age puffed into the air.

  Next to it sat another book, just as ancient, its title obscured beneath a thick layer of grime. She lifted it carefully, blew across the spine, and watched the dust scatter like ash. Letters surfaced in a faded, eerie shimmer:

  A chill rippled down her arms. She shuddered, hugging the two massive texts close, imagining what grim truths could be bound within their pages. She shook her head to clear it—only to freeze.

  Footsteps.

  Slow. Deliberate. Drawing closer.

  She whipped her head around, heart hammering, but the aisle was empty. The sound had stopped.

  “G-Guys…?” she whispered.

  “Yeah!” Chippy called back from somewhere between the shelves. “Still here!”

  But what Rin couldn’t see—was Britlex, standing right in front of her. He leveled his wand, its tip glowing faintly with a spell primed to fire straight at her head.

  he snarled silently in his mind.

  Rin bolted. Without thinking, she sprinted straight past him, clutching the two books tight. Bursting from the aisle, she skidded to the table and thrust the texts into Chippy’s hands.

  “Thanks, Rin!” Eddie said, snatching the books out of Chippy’s hands.

  “Hey!” she protested.

  Eddie cracked them open immediately, skimming through the pages at lightning speed. “No… no… this doesn’t help.”

  “Oh…” Rin murmured softly, rubbing her fingers together as if to soothe herself.

  Then—

  All three kids snapped their heads past Rin toward the sound.

  “Rin! We need to make it look like we were never here!” Eddie hissed.

  “That wasn’t me!”

  “But still! Be careful.”

  “D-Don’t make me go out there again…” Rin stammered.

  Eddie narrowed his eyes at her, unamused.

  “Here, I’ll come with.” Chippy said, springing to her feet.

  At the origin of the sound, Britlex had already frozen. Even he hadn’t expected the noise. He glanced down to find a fallen book:

  He flipped it open, thumbing through the brittle pages until one caught his attention—a torn sheet, jagged at the edges. His eyes narrowed as he read the fragment aloud under his breath.

  “…”

  His lips curled.

  He slipped the book into his robes just as he heard the faint voice of one of the girls—Chippy—saying she’d go with Rin. In a blur, he darted out of the aisle, leaving no trace.

  When Rin and Chippy arrived, they found nothing. A lone shelf, silent, undisturbed.

  “…It was nothing,” Chippy whispered, though her tone carried doubt. Together, they returned to Eddie.

  “Oh—here! Something useful!” Eddie said, pulling down a thick tome titled

  Rin and Chippy crowded over his shoulder to read.

  “Mmm. Never mind,” Eddie muttered after a skim. “It’s just pages and pages about how grave of a sin against life necromancy is…”

  “If it’s that bad, why do people do it?” Rin asked quietly.

  “There’s just… some bad people in this world,” Eddie replied, frowning.

  “Yeah…” Chippy hummed thoughtfully.

  Eddie flipped ahead. “It also says you perform necromancy on immobile organics or the undead. And Ra clearly counts as undead—a skeletal soldier.”

  “Poop. Guess that’s not what we’re looking for, then.” Chippy pouted.

  “No.” Eddie sighed, snapping the book shut.

  Then— followed by a long

  “Who’s in here?!” an old woman’s voice barked from the shadows.

  The three kids froze.

  And across the aisle, Britlex froze too—so much that his cloaking spell sputtered and collapsed.

  Chippy’s eyes went wide. “Uh…”

  Eddie’s jaw dropped. “What the—who the heck are ?!”

  Britlex didn’t miss a beat. He straightened, jabbed his thumb at his chest, and stammered, “Uh… I’m just… looking at books… here…?”

  “What?! Why do you sound confused?!” Eddie whispered harshly, already hovering his hand near his hip like he was ready to duel.

  “I said who’s in here?!” the old lady shouted again. “”

  Glowing spheres burst from her wand, floating down the aisles one by one, spilling pale light across the forbidden shelves.

  “Oh shit. Hide!” Britlex hissed, sprinting toward the kids. Together, they bolted deeper into the forbidden section until they found a shelf slightly ajar. Britlex and Eddie shoved it aside just enough, and the four of them slipped into the cramped gap before pulling it back flush.

  The space was pitch black, save for a single sliver of light seeping in through a crooked book leaning against the shelf.

  “Who you?!” Eddie hissed.

  “I’m… Kyle. My name is Kyle,” Britlex whispered back.

  “Kyle? What House are you from?!”

  “The North House!”

  “What the heck?! What are you even doing in here? How did you get in?!”

  “The same way you did! And I’m looking for… ways to cheat on my midterms…”

  “What? How old are you?!”

  “I’m… eleven!”

  “You’re so tall for an eleven-year-old!”

  “Early growth spurt!” Britlex hissed back.

  “…Wait… finals are a month away,” Chippy whispered, her brow furrowing.

  “…You look familiar… have I seen you somewhere before?” Rin asked softly.

  “Stop flirting with me and shut up!!!” Britlex hissed.

  “Flirting?” Rin tilted her head, puzzled.

  “FLIRTING?!” Eddie squeaked, his face turning scarlet as he clamped both hands over his mouth.

  The footsteps grew louder—steady, deliberate. All four of them froze, lungs locked tight, as the glow of the librarian’s orbs crept closer down the aisle. The light swept across the shelves, paused… then moved on.

  “Is she gone?” Chippy whispered.

  “Keep talking and she’ll rip your throat out,” Britlex muttered back, irritated.

  A few tense moments passed before the loud of the library door shutting echoed through the aisles.

  Immediately, Britlex and Eddie shoved the shelf forward, opening their cramped hiding spot.

  “We need to get out of here…” Chippy whimpered, clinging to Rin’s hand. Rin held on tight, trembling herself.

  “Yeah. Now’s probably the only chance we’ll get,” Eddie said.

  “Agreed, simpleton. Let’s go,” Britlex snapped.

  But Eddie caught his wrist, stopping him mid-stride.

  “Wait! What midterm were you even studying for that you needed to cheat on? Everything’s been pretty simple so far.”

  “None of your concern, nerd!” Britlex snarled, jerking his arm free.

  He bolted for the exit, and the kids scrambled after him. Eddie trailed behind, distracted, his gaze lingering on his own palm.

  Rough. Calloused. Hardened in ways no eleven-year-old’s should have been.

  #

  Kai remained by the towering windows, gazing into the jeweled sprawl of the night-lit city. Gold and silver lights glittered like scattered treasure far below. Vix stood behind him in silence, head bowed, unable to summon a single thought to carry the conversation forward.

  “…You suggest I apologize?” Vix finally asked.

  “What else would you do?”

  “…I don’t know. It’s a stretch, but… I could speak with Aimee.”

  Kai’s lips curved faintly at the name. “She is quite motherly.” For a moment, warmth softened his expression. “But I think you should begin by getting some fresh air. Take a walk.”

  “A walk? What would that help with?”

  “Help you rediscover who you are.”

  “That—Your Majestry, I’m twenty-five. I’m well-versed in my standards and sense of self.”

  “Then how come you’re not a white glove sorcerer?”

  “Because you refuse to promote me!”

  “That’s because you aren’t ready. Not yet.”

  Vix let out a long, tired sigh. “…Help yourself to the fridge, Sire.”

  “I thought you’d never say!” Kai beamed, and with almost boyish enthusiasm, jogged across the polished floor toward the sleek kitchen. He swung open the French doors of the fridge, already fishing for deli meats and cheese.

  Vix shook his head, pulling his boots on but leaving his jacket draped across the couch. Casting one last glance at Kai—happily humming to himself while assembling a midnight snack—Vix turned away.

  He walked down the hall toward the elevator, his expression unreadable. Only when he was certain no one could see or hear him did his shoulders finally square into confidence.

  He pulled out his communicator as the elevator doors slid shut, tapping in a secure line.

  “Lieutenant Stark reporting for duty, Commander!” a crisp voice answered almost instantly.

  “Stark,” Vix whispered, glancing at the floor counter as the elevator descended. “What’s the status? Any updates on the terrorist attack at Fort Carven?”

  “I’m sending my report now, sir. All intel dated as of November 4th,” Stark replied. “In short—the group’s leader is a clown. He wears makeup to match, along with an atrocious hairstyle. I had him in my sights last seen in Times Square, but he managed to escape… using an unknown method.”

  “Unknown method? That’s extremely vague.”

  “That’s because it

  vague, Commander. No magical residue. No mechanical traces. The General and I are both stumped.”

  “That’s bizarre…” Vix muttered, rubbing his temple. “What was the date of your last sighting?”

  “The past twenty-sixth, sir.”

  Vix’s eyes narrowed. “…I think I’ll have to join you in this.”

  “Absolutely not!”

  Vix froze as Kai suddenly stepped through a swirling portal, munching on a sandwich piled high with deli meats and cheese. Crumbs dotted his vest as he chewed.

  “Lieutenant Stark,” Kai said between bites, “you no longer have a commander beginning now and until further notice. Please report directly to General Haas and Captain Staffire.”

  “…Yes, Your Majestry,” Stark said at last, before the line went dead.

  The elevator hummed in silence. Vix turned slowly, shooting Kai a glare that could have cut through steel.

  Kai only dabbed his mouth with a napkin. “Take the walk, Nepton.”

  Vix sighed, defeated. “…Yes, Sire.”

  But before the elevator doors fully opened, Vix’s communicator buzzed again. The report had already arrived.

  #

  Chase flipped the stolen page under the warehouse light, the brittle paper crackling like old bone. Britlex paced, hands clasped behind his back, eyes glittering with a hungry sort of patience.

  “So what now, my lord?” Chase asked, voice low.

  “She was exactly where I wanted her,” Britlex said, teeth bared in a grin. “Then that damned librarian ruins everything.”

  Chase’s finger traced the faded ink as he read aloud, careful and small. “This… —it acts as an aritifical way to achieve mana amplification.

  Dangerous, but effective. It can accelerate growth, force mana to peak, though it burns through reserves.”

  Britlex’s step quickened. “Short windows are better than no windows.”

  Chase continued, voice thinning. “Listen to this: ”

  The warehouse air tightened. Britlex’s grin became a slice. “Meaning?”

  “If the girl is a dragon-splice—or even partially draconic—her core power will bind to whomever raises her. If you control the spawner role, you can mold her will. You don’t need to break her; you need to steer her.” Chase’s voice had a tremor now, between fear and awe.

  Britlex tapped a finger to his chin, the idea landing like a quiet verdict. “So we don’t raid her for power at once. We become the hands that raise that power. We tutor her, love her, terrify her when needed—whatever cements the attachment. In time, her will binds to us. Then we harvest cleanly.”

  Chase swallowed. “That… that’s monstrous.”

  “Monstrous is only a word for people who haven’t tasted the calculus of power.” Britlex smirked, eyes already cold with calculation. “Besides, we’re making a steep assumption: that the girl could even be a dragon hybrid. Have you ever heard of dragon hybrids before?”

  “No, sir…”

  “Exactly. That rarity is what makes this opportunity unprecedented — and dangerous. The tonic? Use it to accelerate timelines when necessary: push a growth spurt, force an awakening long before anyone expects it. Short-term risk, long-term control.”

  Chase folded the page away, pale. “So you plan to… pose as her father? To—”

  “To be the spawner,” Britlex finished, voice soft and absolute. “To be the man she believes shapes her world. To make her will ours. In return, we can use her for those tonics and, later, as the ultimate weapon against that cursed Staffire.” He turned, amusement and cruelty braided together. “If I’m wrong, you’ll lose your head. If I’m right, you’ll be well rewarded.”

  “Uh—yes, sir.” Chase’s reply was smaller than before.

  Britlex’s grin widened. “Good. Also? I need a haircut.”