She propped herself up on her elbows, hair falling into her face. "Always chasing the next ruin." Her voice was softer this time, not the usual teasing edge, but something closer to concern. "You know, some things slip away faster than treasure."
Rhys paused at the door, the morning sun outlining him in pale fire. He didn't answer right away. His hand brushed against the hilt of the Ruinous Darkness Blade, then loosened.
Finally, he said, "I can't afford to slow down. Not yet."
Mia held his gaze for a heartbeat longer, then leaned back with a small, tired smile. "Then at least come back before the week ends. Don't make this city the only one chasing ghosts."
He gave the faintest nod—the kind that carried weight when words didn't. Then he slipped out, boots hitting the wooden steps as the smell of the sea filled his lungs.
