The square fell deathly silent.
Daenerys's fingers tightened slightly. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something-
Aegon did not look at her. He merely squeezed her hand a little harder, signaling her to stay silent.
Daenerys's lips moved, but in the end, no sound came out.
The survivors finally came to their senses.
They looked at the charred depression, at the pyramid that had vanished, at the silver-haired man standing beneath the dragon's shadow, his expression as calm as ever-and then they understood.
Daenerys cared about the slaves. She cared about human lives.
But this silver-haired man did not.
There was nothing in his eyes but cold murderous intent.
That realization frightened them more than the dragon itself.
The next moment, everyone scrambled away, some clambering onto horses, others fleeing for their lives, all racing toward their own pyramids without looking back.
No one dared linger another second. No one dared utter another word.
Watching their fleeing figures disappear into the smoke and dust, Daenerys finally could not hold back. "You'll get a lot of slaves killed. Those Great Masters still have guards. If the slaves try to resist, many of them will die."
Aegon did not answer immediately.
He gazed at the distant horizon, where the last glow of sunset was sinking into the sea.
"We are dragonlords..."
"The descendants of Old Valyria."
Daenerys froze.
"Your mercy is a virtue, but you've also made it your weakness." Aegon turned to look at her. "Why did those Great Masters dare to trap you in the Great Pyramid? Because they knew you wouldn't dare burn them. They turned your kindness into a knife to stab you with."
"But kindness isn't wrong-" Daenerys said.
"Kindness isn't wrong," Aegon interrupted. "But letting your enemies exploit it is."
He paused, his gaze returning