Round 87 Transcript

Silra studies Jeane’s electrified barrier with a cool eye, ignoring the heat prickling her skin and the faint scent of ozone in the air. Hera’s stubborn glower doesn’t phase her—she’s seen that look before on half a dozen brutes twice as dumb. “Not thinking clearly,” she says to Hera flatly. “This tunnel is compromised, which makes it stupid to go alone.” She glances at the bottle of lubricant in Hera's hand, then back to Jeane’s wing tips sparking dangerously close together. “And you’re not taking her.”

Jeane’s eyes flash with something hotter than electricity—a possessive streak Silra knows all too well. She holds up a hand before Jeane can object, keeping her voice level despite the sudden tightness in her chest. “I’m saying we do this smart.” She steps closer to the barrier, the air crackling against her skin. “I go first—no one you care about gets fried testing your setup. You keep that corridor secure.” Her gaze sharpens on Jeane’s face. “Abby stays here until I say otherwise.”

Jeane's expression doesn’t shift, but Silra catches the subtle relaxation in her shoulders—that tiny tell she's been studying for weeks now. She files it away as leverage. “Agreed?” Silra asks, already moving forward, leaving Hera to stew behind them and Jeane with a clear target—and an excuse—for her temper.