The chaos might have been exactly what Skullius needed.
It remained a complete mystery to the Hybrid why Ylva was so angry at Thyrgga and how she'd even gotten into the Humble Paradigm, but she'd bought Skullius a moment to get his bearings.
Navvexr's arrival had been unexpected, and so was Gylliard's reaction to her ruthlessness.
Names.
Thyrgga's sudden faltering.
All of it was daunting, and if anyone else had been thrust into it so abruptly, they would have meekly waited for it all to pass.
…But Skullius was pressed with many other frustrations, trials that he'd had long before he entered the Humble Paradigm. As the chaos unfolded, with powers beyond his league and understanding spiralling in terrible waves all around him, he judged that taking the risk was worth it.
