"I have a message for you."
That snagged her.
Her eyes flicked back, cautious, a flicker of curiosity breaking through her armor. "A message?"
"From the Light," he said, his voice low, infused with a gravity that made the words feel ancient, powerful.
Her gaze locked onto his, searching, probing for deceit.
"What are you talking about?" she demanded, but there was a hitch in her tone now, a crack in the ice.
He leaned in just a fraction, closing the gap enough to make the air between them hum with tension.
"You should already know," he murmured. "Whatever you've heard about it… it's true."
Her shoulders tensed, and she looked away, as if averting her eyes could deflect the words. "Not interested. Go play somewhere else."
"The Guiding Light's message for you," Lor continued, undeterred, his words slow and deliberate, "is that it can help your business."
She froze, the market's noise fading into a distant buzz.
