Rory’s thoughts drifted back to the last ti she had truly faced danger—the mont flas had split the sky, when a blazing, infernal firebird had descended like judgnt itself.
She slowly turned toward Kather, her gaze searching his shadowed face.
"That firebird from before..." she said quietly. "The one made entirely of fire. That was you, wasn’t it?"
For a brief mont, he said nothing.
Then Kather nodded. "It was."
The confirmation made sothing in Rory loosen all at once. A breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding escaped her, and a small smile curved her lips.
"So it really was you," she murmured. "You saved everyone that day. I heard you were badly injured and disappeared on the outer battlefield. I kept wondering..." Her eyes lifted to his. "Are you alright now?"
A faint warmth softened Kather’s expression. In the dim light, sothing like fire flickered deep within his eyes—not violent, but steady and alive.
"Don’t worry about , Rory," he replied gently. "I’ve recovered for the most part."
Hearing that, Rory felt her chest ease, tension lting away like ice under sunlight.
"Then..." she hesitated, curiosity overtaking her relief, "why haven’t you appeared all this ti?"
She genuinely didn’t understand. Had he not received ssages through his light-brain? Or was it simply inconvenient for him to show himself?
Kather pressed his lips together, clearly hesitating. His current state flashed through his mind—this incomplete form, this fragile balance. At last, he spoke, his voice low and careful.
"It wasn’t... suitable for to reveal myself recently," he admitted. "But I was never far away. Rory, whenever you’re in danger, I will always co. Even if you don’t see ."
So her intuition had been right.
He really had been nearby all along.
Since he’d made it clear there were reasons he couldn’t appear yet, Rory didn’t push further. Instead, another question rose naturally to her lips.
"Then if I want to see you again," she asked softly, "how do I find you?"
They couldn’t remain strangers who brushed past each other in shadows forever. How were they supposed to build any kind of bond that way?
To be honest, Rory was intensely curious about him. His voice alone—deep, calm, steady—was enough to leave an impression. And he was tall. That much she could tell.
Almost unconsciously, she reached out and brushed her fingers lightly against his waist.
Solid. Lean. Not an ounce of excess.
Kather stiffened instantly.
Her touch sent a ripple through him—half shock, half exhilaration. His heart thudded hard in his chest, but he didn’t move away. The fact that she didn’t shy from him, that she seed comfortable being this close, ant more than he could put into words.
"Rory," he said quietly, "I won’t remain hidden forever. Accept Lola Brandon’s invitation. Co to Aurelia. When you arrive there... we’ll et properly. Alright?"
He waited, tension coiling tightly beneath his calm exterior.
Kather needed to return to Aurelia soon to fully recover. And as a follower, his standing was already lower than Jasper’s and the others. If he didn’t appear openly before Rory soon, the distance between them would only grow harder to bridge.
Jasper looked sincere, but his quiet strategies ran deep.
Nix seed carefree, yet his ways of winning favor were far from simple.
And Yuel—that one was a constant headache.
As for Paros and Dax, Kather didn’t see them as imdiate threats. Not yet.
Rory couldn’t clearly see Kather’s face, but she could feel the tension radiating from him. She didn’t answer right away.
Instead, she asked sothing else.
"If I go to Aurelia and et you there," she said slowly, "will you co back with to the Interstellar Hunter Alliance?"
"Yes," Kather answered without the slightest hesitation. "Rory, you are my mate now. Wherever you choose to be—that is where I belong."
The certainty in his voice pleased her.
She nodded, serious and resolved. "Alright. Once I finish dealing with the Violet Obsidian Clan’s matters in the Central District, I’ll go to Aurelia and bring you ho."
Ho.
The word struck him harder than any blow.
Did she already see him as family? The sa way she did Jasper and the others?
Kather’s gaze lingered on her lips. For a fleeting mont, he wanted nothing more than to close the distance between them.
"Rory, may I—"
Before he could finish, his senses caught a familiar presence approaching.
Kather swallowed the rest of his words.
"Jasper is coming," he said softly. "I have to leave now. I’ll see you in Aurelia."
He gently released her, guiding her forward—straight into Jasper’s arms.
"Wait—"
Before Rory could say anything more, Kather dissolved back into the darkness, swallowed by the shifting crowd as if he’d never been there at all.
"Rory, are you alright?"
That familiar cool, clean scent surrounded her. Jasper’s arms closed around her, steady and protective, and she was surprised by how safe she suddenly felt.
"I’m fine, Jasper. I just..."
She almost told him everything—that she’d seen Kather, spoken to him, felt his warmth in the dark—but rembered his request to stay hidden. So she swallowed the words.
"What is it?" Jasper asked, worry etched into his features. "Were you hurt?"
He carefully checked her over, eyes sharp with concern.
"No, I’m really fine," she said quickly, waving her hand. Then she asked, "What happened just now? Why did the lights go out?"
Jasper explained calmly, "The Starrail passed near a minor black hole. The magnetic field fluctuated, and the internal systems shut down temporarily. It happens occasionally. They’ll restore power soon."
So it wasn’t unusual.
That explained why the surrounding therians had already begun to calm down. The initial jolt had caused chaos—people stumbling, pushing, shouting—but once the Starrail stabilized, order returned just as quickly.
As Jasper finished speaking, the lights flickered—and then blazed back to life.
"Rory!"
Lola rushed over, her expression tight with worry. "Are you okay? You got pushed aside earlier—I was terrified!"
Her concern seed genuine.
Rory smiled and shook her head. "I’m alright. Thankfully, Jasper found right away."
The music slowly resud, the ballroom brightened once more, and the night continued.
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