Strax stood still for a moment, his hand still outstretched toward the egg, as if he could hear echoes that no other being could perceive. The bluish light that enveloped him finally began to dissipate, dissolving into slow, almost lazy particles that floated through the hall like snow ashes.
Mercedes took a deep breath—because only now did she realize she had been holding her breath for a long time.
Strax said nothing.
He simply… turned his head. First to one side, then to the other. Then he raised his snout slightly, sniffing the frozen air like an animal searching for the right scent trail.
Mercedes frowned.
"Strax…? What are you looking for?"
He didn't answer immediately. He took a slow step, his tail gliding across the frozen floor, his eyes gleaming a deep blue—still carrying traces of the salamanders' energy.
After a few seconds, he murmured:
"The next room."
Mercedes' blood ran cold—and that wasn't a metaphor. The air around her seemed to drop a few more degrees.
