"Why does he have these?"
"I wonder why the Baelis even created them."
"You're clueless, Viktor?"
"Indeed. Enlighten me?"
"Well, Terran legends claim a Baelis smith crafted them to make wars so devastating that none would dare wage one."
I chuckled. "Really? They thought that would work?"
"It did."
"How?"
"Among the Baelis."
"I see."
"Shall we proceed?"
"I'm not sure I can."
"That's a concern."
"It is."
We lingered awkwardly.
"Should we turn back?" Thorne inquired.
"No, we stay put."
"Understood."
Time felt elongated, though it was probably just a minute. The presence of the Dragonlords added to my unease. Displaying fear in front of a Vorgan is bad, but doing so in front of a Dragonlord wounded my pride.
"I have a plan," Thorne interjected.
"I'm all ears," I replied. "Any plan's a good one now."
"It'll take a few moments."
"Take all the time you need. It's not like I'm rushing anywhere."
Thorne's expression shifted, hinting at a mental exchange.
