Seris' smile lingered in the dim corridor, sharp as a blade hidden in silk.
Amaya felt the cold warning ripple through her core.
Leo felt it too — the subtle shift, the tremble beneath her skin, the way her inner light recoiled at the serpent woman's presence.
His stance changed immediately.
The Beastlord drew her closer, positioning Amaya behind his arm in a movement that was instinctual, territorial, and absolute.
"Lady Seris," he said slowly, "you will not lay a hand on her."
Seris' silver brows lifted. "My lord, you sound as if I intend to harm the girl."
"You do."
"Of course not," she purred. "I only wish to confirm the extent of her corruption."
Amaya stiffened. "I'm not corrupted."
Seris tilted her head, studying her with unsettling calm.
"A Shadow Devourer touched you, dear. No one walks away from that unscarred."
Leo's aura spiked at the implication — frost cracking beneath his boots, the lanterns flickering as the air chilled.
Seris clasped her hands politely.
