The moment Ashok opened his mouth, it was as if an invisible alarm tripped inside Leon and Gideon's heads—a silent, piercing warning honed by too many past encounters.
They'd come to recognize the pattern: when Adlet spoke words to make enemies as if his words cloaked in a veil of offhanded charm.
"We will no—" Gideon began sharply, his voice low but firm, instinct firing before thought could catch up. He'd heard enough from Ashok to know better than to let him finish a sentence unchallenged.
But Leon raised a hand and cut him off.
"Sure, what is it?" he asked, calm and collected, though a flicker of tension passed through his eyes. His voice carried an openness that almost masked the caution beneath.
Leon knew exactly who they were dealing with- Adlet, silver-tongued, smirking, and always two steps from chaos.
He was the kind of student who spoke like he held a secret he might just use against you, the kind who could make enemies with a compliment.
