Merlin stepped forward, the door hissing shut behind him. "You don't seem like the kind of man who likes to be kept waiting."
Kael chuckled softly, finally lifting his gaze. "You're right. I'm not."
He gestured to the opposite seat. "Sit."
Merlin did. The chair was plush but heavy, like everything else in this room. Built for comfort, but meant to remind whoever sat in it of the weight beneath that comfort.
Kael poured the wine, crimson, aged, probably older than either of them deserved to drink.
"Do you drink, Mr. Everhart?"
Merlin tilted his head. "Sometimes."
Kael smiled faintly, sliding one of the glasses across. "Then tonight is a 'sometimes.'"
They clinked glasses, a soft, deliberate chime.
For a moment, silence. The city's hum filled the gaps between heartbeats.
Then Kael spoke, voice calm but edged. "You stopped the Seraph from detonating."
Merlin swirled the wine, watching the dark liquid catch the light. "You seem very sure of that."
