The farewell took place in the mansion's main courtyard, beneath a light snow drifting slowly down over Asgard.
The sky was still gray, but it no longer held the heavy, oppressive weight of the past few days. There was a lightness in the air—perhaps because Vex was smiling again, or because Mercedes no longer seemed on the verge of freezing half the city just by existing, or perhaps because, despite everything, this brief visit had ended better than any of them had dared hope after the kidnapping.
Mercedes's wyvern knelt in the center of the landing area, its wings folded and its body covered in dark blue plates that shimmered beneath the snow. Mansion staff kept a respectful distance, while a few guards watched discreetly from the side corridors. After everything that had happened, no one wanted to intrude on that moment.
Vex stood before Strax, clutching a small bag filled with things she had insisted on taking along.
There were sweets.
There was a small book about trains.
