****"
"Owwww…"
Lyrium groaned, pressing a chunk of ice to the swelling knot on his head.
"By the fucking stars, that hurts."
Beside him stood Margaret, arms locked across her chest, silver eyes flashing like a drawn blade.
Ren lounged nearby, perfectly still but clearly entertained, while Alicia hovered a step back, watching the sparks start to fly.
"Can't you hit slower? It hurts so much, damn it!"
Lyrium barked, wincing as he adjusted the ice.
"Hit you slowly?!"
Margaret shot back, her voice sharp enough to crack stone.
"You jumped right in front of me! Where in the world did you even come from? I didn't know you could phase through walls now!"
They leaned toward each other until their foreheads nearly touched, neither backing down.
The air between them sizzled with unspoken challenge, like two storms colliding.
Ren tilted his head toward Alicia, his voice a lazy whisper.
"Are they… making out their love or something?"
