He glanced at the women beside him.
Winnie was still weak and needed time to recover. Xilos had expended a great deal of strength but was holding up well enough. Fei Mi and Wen Ke'er, however, were in no condition to help at all.
Fortunately, he did not need them to.
"Look after them for now," Shen Yi told Lilith, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I'm going to see Alvin."
Without waiting for her reply, he vanished, leaving only a faint ripple in space.
Lilith stared in the direction he had gone, then looked at the four women left in her care. Her gaze lingered on Wen Ke'er, whose aura felt strange, and Fei Mi, who was looking around with open curiosity. Her brows drew tight.
What on earth is Shen Yi thinking?
What good will it do to see Alvin now?
She pushed down her doubts and unease, then nodded to Winnie and Xilos.
"Let's find somewhere to rest and recover. This place has taken a beating, but it should still be fairly safe near the core."
She turned to Fei Mi and Wen Ke'er. Her eyes paused on Wen Ke'er for a moment, a trace of scrutiny flickering through them, but she said nothing about it.
"You two, stay close. Don't wander off. Things are chaotic here."
Winnie and Xilos knew Lilith well enough. They nodded and each found a relatively intact metal platform to sit on and recover.
Fei Mi was curious about everything around her, but she understood the situation and obediently stayed within the area Lilith had marked out. Her eyes never stopped roaming over the ruined, uncanny mechanical world.
Wen Ke'er stood silently where she was, still enclosed in the protective barrier Shen Yi had left around her.
Her emerald eyes passed