Noah turned.
Arlo walked in through the doorway with a measured pace, his expression blank.
Behind him, soldiers filed into the room in formation, spreading out to cover the available space, spell formations already live in their hands, the air crackling with the accumulated charge of a dozen different affinities.
"I didn't know we'd meet again this quic—"
Arlo stopped.
The words died somewhere between his mouth and the air. His eyes widened in shock as he stared at Noah, incredulity coloring his face.
"How." It wasn't even a question. It barely qualified as a word. "SS-rank."
His words caused a shift that moved through the soldiers like a current. Hands that had been steady developed a faint instability and eyes moved between Arlo and Noah and back again, recalculating.
They immediately realized it. They were in a whole lot of trouble.
