The cloaked boy bolted past me, his footsteps splashing through shallow rain puddles, echoing between the alley walls.
I ran too.
My lungs burned, my body already screaming at me that I wasn't his equal in raw power.
Still, I pushed harder.
My feet hammered against stone, weaving around carts, slipping past startled vendors, shoving through obstacles that blurred past in the downpour earlier.
We tore through the maze of streets until he vaulted up the cracked stairs of a shabby apartment block.
My chest heaved, but I forced one last surge of speed, following him up two steps at a time.
The boy burst through a door at the end of the landing.
I leaned into the turn and crashed through after him, teeth grit, ready to lunge.
And stopped dead.
Not at masculine features, but at a girl stepping into the doorway.
She was caught off guard, emerald eyes widening as I collided with her.
Her hair, ginger red, almost copper under the dim lamplight, spilled across my cheek as we fell.
I landed on top of her, breath mingling with hers, the soft warmth of her skin and curves pressed against me.
For a suspended moment, nothing existed but the rain dripping from my hair and the way her gaze locked mine.
Her surprise melted into something softer, then quickly into confusion.
We scrambled up, and she dusted herself off, voice clear and melodious as she spoke.
"Welcome home. And… what the hell are you and Aartki doing?"
My eyes darted across the room.
The apartment was small but lived-in.
A curved sofa sat crookedly beneath a rain-specked window.
A faint smell of damp wood and old tea lingered in the air.
On the sofa was Aartki.
He froze when I spotted him, cyan eyes darting in panic.
His blonde hair was plastered against his forehead, his hands flailing like he could wave away my anger.
"W-wait, no! It's not what you think."
Too late.
I was already on him, slamming him back into the cushions, fists raining down in a blur.
His body jolted under each blow, his voice cracking in desperation.
"Wait! Stop! S-save me, someone, anyone!"
His words were muffled under my strikes. I didn't stop. My rage roared louder than reason.
"Sera, please!" he gasped, coughing between punches.
"There's nothing to listen to, you piece of sh," I growled, drawing back my fist.
Then suddenly something tugged at my arm. My body locked. Muscles refused to move, frozen in place.
And just like that, my fury hit a wall.
My body almost froze, everything except the pounding of my insides.
With a snap I dragged my head back, and there she was, Sera.
Standing at the edge of the room, her face twisted in fury, emerald eyes lit like blades.
I felt Aartki slip out from under me in that instant, scurrying across the floor like a worm freed from dirt.
My fists hung in the air, still tight, still wanting to smash something, but slowly I pulled them back.
The sofa caught me as I slumped into it, shoulders still stiff, chest heaving.
Then something sparked in my head. Before I could second-guess it, I shot forward and wrapped my arms around her.
"Sera…" My voice cracked, words tumbling over themselves. "You don't know how much I missed you. Even when I closed my eyes at night, I couldn't escape you… it was always your face, your voice… I thought I'd never stand this close again."
I held tighter, pouring everything out, coating it with sweetness I didn't care to measure.
Her cheeks flushed, just slightly, color spreading like spilled paint. She blinked, caught off guard, then her hands pressed against me, slowly, firmly, until I had no choice but to let go.
Her gaze slid past me, sharp as glass, pinning Aartki where he stood.
"You," she said, voice low but clear. "What the hell was that?"
Aartki froze. His lips quivered, words fumbling out like broken teeth.
"I–It's not what it looked like."
"Don't," she cut him off, her eyes narrowing further.
I leaned back, the grin flickering across my lips for only a moment, quick enough that Sera never caught it, but Aartki surely did.
His face tightened in irritation, which only made it sweeter.
We all sank into the sofa, cushions sinking beneath us.
I let my voice drip with wounded innocence.
"You wouldn't believe what this guy did," I said, pointing at Aartki like he was some feral animal caught sneaking scraps.
"Middle of the night, sneaks up on me, nearly had me gutted. I swear, if I hadn't reacted fast, I'd be a corpse right now."
Her emerald eyes darted between us.
"Aartki," she said sharply, "is that true?"
He squirmed, hands rising defensively.
"No, no, it wasn't like that! I thought… I thought I heard something, all right? I mistook him for an intruder. I'd never actually hurt him."
I exaggerated a heavy sigh, running a hand down my face as if exhausted by the ordeal.
"Yeah, sure. An intruder. At midnight. Inside our own place."
She folded her arms, glaring at him.
"You left behind your family's heir position for your so-called best friend, and now you're sneaking around at night to attack him? What on earth is going on with you, Aartki?"
I tilted my head, voice dripping with mock concern.
"By any chance… are you autistic?"
He flinched but quickly plastered on a wounded smile, shaking his head.
"I—I only wanted to test his reflexes. That's all. He's been gone, and… I just wanted to see if he's still sharp. It wasn't meant seriously."
Her glare softened, though faintly. She sighed and shook her head. "You're impossible."
I didn't press further. My job was done.
The conversation drifted after that.
I told them bits of my journey, mundane pieces, stripped of anything about the investigation or things that mattered too much. Enough to keep them satisfied, not enough to reveal anything.
Eventually Sera rose, brushing her ginger hair from her face.
"It's late. I'll go. The food's ready in the kitchen, eat it before it gets cold. And wash the dishes when you're done."
Her voice was light, but it carried the weight of habit, like she'd said it countless times before.
As she reached the door, something tugged at me. My hand slipped into my pocket, fingers brushing cold metal.
I pulled out the teleportation device I'd bargained from the trader at the pyramid ruins.
"Wait," I said.
She turned, puzzled. I placed it in her palm. "Here. For you."
Her brows arched. "How much did this cost you?"
"Not much." I lied without flinching.
Her emerald eyes narrowed, skeptical, but she said nothing more and walked out into the night.
The room settled in silence.
Aartki slouched back into the sofa, then gave me a sideways glance.
"You shouldn't have lied. She already has a dozen of those. She knows exactly how much they're worth."
I leaned my head back, smirking faintly.
"Doesn't matter. It's not about her using it. It's just something she'll keep. Four million's not much for her, anyway."