Chapter 5768

Paxton’s shoulders sagged at the refusal, disappointment flickering across his face, yet he dared not press the matter.

Arden sat hollow-eyed, realizing he had angered a nightmare made flesh.

Jared seemed to recall something. He turned toward Paxton-and toward the sea of beast-folk whose faces mixed reverence and fear-and released a soft sigh.

“You place great importance on bloodline and innate dominance, don’t you?”

Before anyone could answer, he closed his eyes.

A breath later, an aura wholly unlike his earlier sword intent seeped from him—ancient, boundless, regal, the very definition of command, as though a sovereign from forgotten epochs were stirring inside his chest.

It began as a thread, then erupted like a volcano, like the sea breaking every dam.