Elric slowly stood up, breathing hard, the light fading from his wand as he looked down at the unconscious man sprawled at his feet.
The mark on his neck had stopped glowing, but it still throbbed faintly like it was alive, its jagged shape burned into the skin like a brand.
"You came prepared," the duke said,
Elric gave a tired smile, brushing the sweat from his forehead. "Of course. After seeing those same marks on your bunny maids, I had a feeling we'd run into this again."
He crouched briefly, touching the edges of the mark with a careful finger before glancing up. "It's called a Devourer Seal. Designed to destroy the host the moment they try to betray whoever cast it. Pain, paralysis, and if left unchecked—incineration from the inside out. This one was hidden well… only triggered when he tried to talk."
The duke's gaze lowered toward the man, "How long until he wakes?"
