Thankfully, Serena's father hadn't teleported to the hotel to dismember him.
He'd simply stayed on the call.
Silent.
Unmoving.
Staring.
For five agonizing minutes, Lord Storm—8-star beast tamer, high-ranking military official, and doting father—watched Kain with a gaze that could peel bark off trees. He'd only relaxed slightly once Serena explained the situation in full, complete with context, technical details, and Kain's need for an escort.
To Kain's immense relief, Lord Storm had even admitted that he'd watched their match against Starfire and was "mildly curious" about the armour's origin. He agreed to accompany Serena and Kain during the meeting.
Kain only regained the ability to breathe again after the call ended with an ominous "See you soon, Newman."
And then promptly left the room in total silence, eyes still wide and heart pounding, internally vowing to never again set foot in Serena's hotel room unsupervised—which was certainly her father's intention.
