Thea looked from the crowded lounge toward the open-window corridor without choosing immediately. I stayed beside her, leaving enough distance that my body did not become another obstacle; Nina remained several steps away, watching without joining the decision.
"Quiet," Thea said, tightening both hands around the unnecessary portfolio strap, "but I do not want to leave yet."
"The corridor is quieter," I replied, pointing without touching her coat, "we can go there, or I can show you another route."
The corridor required crossing a dense group near the drink table; a service hallway offered fewer people, though staff permission remained unclear. I asked one event deputy, who opened the side route after confirming guests could use it.
Thea followed me without holding my hand; I walked slowly enough for her to remain close, then stopped whenever another person crossed. Reaching the corridor took less than one minute without requiring a dramatic extraction.
