The car carried Serein away from Taurus Street. Susan's diner, once glowing like a warm ember, receded into the distance and vanished into the city's haze.
Resting her arm against the window, Serein let her gaze drift with the stream of lights and restless movement outside, her thoughts somewhere far behind.
From the driver's seat, Zane cast her a glance every so often. His eyes brimmed with questions waiting to be spoken, yet he kept his lips pressed together, giving her the silence to decide when to break it.
Only when the damp, narrow alleys of the slums lay fully behind them did Serein finally speak, her voice cutting sharply through the suffocating stillness inside the car.
"My rules."
Zane's focus shifted from her back to the road ahead, his tone patient. "Go on."
Drawing in a steady breath, Serein forced her mind away from lingering attachments, leaving them behind with that small diner.
"First, I reserve the right to refuse guiding if our levo is incompatible."
