The air was heavy with frost and silence.
"You know him?" Maggie asked, her voice unsteady, breaking the quiet.
Andrew smiled faintly, though his eyes were tired. "Thought they had you," he said, almost relieved. "Good to see you're fine."
"It's a long story."
Maggie's head snapped toward Solved. Shock flooded her face.
"He knows him…?" she muttered, then turned back to Andrew.
"Do you… remember me?" she asked, voice trembling with hope.
But Andrew turned away and said nothing, avoiding eye contact with Maggie.
Her smile wiped off.
Solved's gaze flicked between them, sharp as a blade. Is he angry at her… or just haunted?
"Why did you call him Marcus?" Solved asked quietly.
Maggie's ice-blue eyes faltered, her confidence melting away.
Solved didn't move. The system had shown Andrew's true name since day one—but hearing it out loud… that was confirmation.
"That was my name," Andrew said before she could speak. "Can you unfreeze me now?"
Maggie raised her hand. The ice holding him shattered with a hiss, water pooling beneath his boots.
Andrew flexed his fingers slowly, feeling returning to his limbs as the cold released its grip.
"Why did you change it?" she asked, voice brittle.
"I don't want to talk to you, Maggie," Andrew said, finally lifting his gaze. His tone was distant—but the way he said her name… it hurt.
Maggie's eyes widened. "You're being arrogant, Marcus."
"Stop calling me that name." His tone was sharper this time.
Solved stepped forward, his tone even. "You're not the only one upset here—you lied to me." Just following the drama.
Andrew gave a low chuckle, meeting Solved's gaze. "Pretty sure you were smart enough to know I was lying."
Damn right I knew. Solved smirked.
The silence that followed was razor-thin.
Then the clatter of hooves shattered it.
Roderick rode in with Nika beside him, their cloaks billowing in the dusk wind.
Maggie turned away, her face cold but her eyes dim with something close to heartbreak.
The boy she'd once called Marcus stood before her—but the man in front of her now wasn't him.
"At least you remembered my name," she said quietly, almost to herself. "That's something, I guess."
Without another word, she climbed into her carriage. The door shut with a soft thud, and the wheels rolled away into the fading light, leaving dust and silence behind.
Solved stood there beside Andrew, neither of them speaking.
Roderick and Nika reined their horses to a stop a few feet away, eyes scanning the still-alert guards who surrounded the scene. The tension still hung thick—unbroken, like frozen air after lightning.
"Solved."
"Roderick."
Their words met halfway—calm, professional. They shook hands like men who'd seen too much to need small talk.
"Heard there was a problem," Roderick said, his usual grin faint.
"Yeah," Solved replied, glancing briefly at the frozen ground—and then at Andrew. "But it's already… solved."
Roderick's smile deepened, though his eyes flicked between them, reading more than Solved said. Then his gaze shifted toward Nika standing a few steps behind. She wasn't smiling. Not even close.
Her stare lingered on Andrew—or maybe on the frost still melting off his boots.
"That the trespasser?" Roderick asked, eyes cold as they locked on Andrew.
Andrew's hand hovered near his sword—still sheathed, but ready.
"He came looking for me," Solved said simply, his voice calm but heavy. "He'd better not do anything stupid."
Roderick frowned. "That's not a valid excuse. Trespassing in the royal compound and assaulting the guard are both capital offenses."
"You make a point." Solved rubbed a hand through his dark hair, sighing. "So… what are you going to do about it?"
"I'm here to fulfill my duty," Roderick said, drawing his sword with a clean metallic hiss.
Andrew's stance tightened.
Solved let out a short, amused breath. "Then go on. Kill him. Right here. In front of me."
The words hit like a slap.
The guards froze. Murmurs spread between them.
Who is he?
How can he talk to Captain Roderick like that?
Is he insane—or someone above the chain?
Nika's eyes narrowed, but she stayed silent, reins twisting in her hand.
Solved didn't flinch. He stepped closer, his tone lowering into something measured. "Or… we do it my way. He stays with me, detained, awaiting trial."
Roderick's sword hovered midair. "You have no authority here, stranger."
"Authority?" Solved tilted his head, voice flat. "You think I need a badge to know when someone's innocent?"
The quiet confidence in his tone made a few guards glance uneasily at each other.
He folded his arms. "He stays with me. I'll defend him myself."
Roderick's eyes narrowed, calculating. The silence between them was sharp enough to cut.
Finally, Roderick lowered his blade an inch. "Fine. But if he's guilty—"
"I'll hand him over myself," Solved said. "Until then, he's under my investigation."
The tension lingered as Roderick stepped back, and the guards began to disperse—still whispering, still wondering who the hell that man was to talk to the Captain like that.
Solved stood still as the last of the guards dispersed. The weight of what he'd just done began to sink in.
By speaking like that—by claiming authority—the council would surely make his title here official.
And that meant one thing: they would tighten their grip on him more. Control him. Use him.
And that meant one thing: they would tighten their grip on him more.
"Ah… what have I done?" he exhaled, his voice barely a whisper.
He turned to Andrew, eyes steady. "We have a lot to talk about." A beat passed. "Isn't that right, Andrew—" Solved paused, a faint, teasing smile tugging at his lips, "—or should I say… Marcus?"
Andrew frowned, clearly unamused.
Solved chuckled softly. "Just joking. Come on. Let's go."
Andrew hesitated. "Sure you'll be able to defend me?"
"Why not?" Solved said with a shrug. "All I have to say is you helped me find and protect the Plasma Vessel. That's all."
Andrew blinked. "Who—"
Solved stopped walking. His breath caught. The name left his lips like a prayer. "…Elera."