Aetheria's sharp, piercing eyes locked onto Alex once more, glinting with a mix of intensity and intrigue. Her voice emerged, steady yet tinged with a hint of curiosity that danced at the edges.
"Since I've answered your question, shouldn't you extend the same courtesy and answer mine?" She paused, the air around them thickening with unspoken tension. "But—"
Alex did not waver under her intense scrutiny. Instead, he offered a nonchalant shrug, the motion almost casual, as if he were discussing the weather rather than their precarious situation. His tone was flat, devoid of any remorse or explanation.
"We don't know. It just happened. When we forged the bond… she was already a rank above me. And it's been that way ever since."
A heavy silence enveloped them, stretching uncomfortably like a thundercloud suspended in the stillness of the sky.
