Ronan's first thought was clean and immediate.
I need to kill him.
There was no hesitation in it. No guilt. No moral weight. Jason Vrell had stepped into the clearing armed, informed, and pointed directly at Ronan by Mesmer. That made him a threat. Threats were either removed, redirected, or escaped. Killing Jason cleanly, one-on-one, in this state, was not a plan. It was simply hopeful thinking.
Jason repeated the challenge, his voice leaving no room for negotiation. "Face me. Alone."
As a man. His tone was flat and absolute, as if the terms were already decided. As if Elara and Seraphina were not there. As if this entire battlefield had narrowed to the space between them.
Ronan did not accept. He also did not refuse outright. He tested the frame instead.
