I looked into her eyes and spoke calmly.
"Good work out there. Really. Brutal, effective… maybe a little too effective."
She stared back at me, still as a statue.
I continued, letting a hint of amusement creep into my voice.
"Now, let me handle the mess you left behind. We'll need to work on your manners though—you can't just go around turning dead people into… sculptures. Creative, yes. Acceptable? Absolutely not."
Still no reaction. But then, for the first time, she gave a small nod.
My eyebrows rose in surprise, and I let out a short chuckle.
"Oh? Look at that. You're learning fast."
I glanced down at the unconscious bodies of Grey and Bruno, then spoke aloud.
"Can you tie them up with something solid? I don't want them flopping around like luggage."
Lyrate tilted her head slightly, her gaze shifting to the duo. A heartbeat later, the ground trembled beneath our feet. Thick black roots erupted from the soil, slithering forward like serpents with purpose.
