*Ember*

His brow arched in curiosity, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "And what, pray tell, could that be?" he inquired, a mockingly polite smile tugging at his lips.

The air was heavy with tension as Lukas regarded me, his expression a mix of curiosity and amusement. But it was his eyes that gave him away. There was just the smallest flicker of doubt in his eyes, a thread of uncertainty that seemed to gnaw at his confidence.

“Well, ...