"Rules," Shunya said weakly. "Right. Sorry."
Naomi stopped near the lantern, her eyes scanning both of them. "You are shaken."
Shunya almost laughed. "You think?"
For once, she did not snap back. She sighed and sat down on the edge of the wooden bench by the yard wall. "I am too. But showing it only feeds doubt."
Vikoria sat beside her, pulling her cloak tighter. "Then maybe doubt deserves to be fed sometimes. Otherwise, it just eats us from inside."
Naomi's gaze flicked to her. Sharp, then softer. She did not argue.
Shunya leaned against the post, looking at the lantern's sway. The three of them, alone under its glow, felt like the world had shrunk to a single circle of light. Safe, but fragile.
Naomi finally spoke again. "When the commander said mercy is a luxury… I wanted to shout. But if I had, it would have meant punishment. Still…" She clenched a fist on her knee. "He is wrong."
