She walked to the altar, her hand trailing across the dark stone. "I've built everything from this foundation. Created a place where those who don't fit can find acceptance. Where pleasure isn't shameful. Where women can be powerful without apology. It's not perfect—we have crime, we have problems, we have our own darkness. But it's ours. Built by us, for us."
She turned to face Satou, her mismatched eyes intense. "If The Reaper destroys this, it's not just buildings that fall. It's hope. It's proof that alternative ways of living can work. It's everything I've spent three centuries building."
"He won't destroy it," Satou said firmly. "We'll stop him."
"You say that with such confidence," Seraphine observed. "Even though you know the odds."
"Because the alternative is unacceptable," Satou replied. "Sometimes that's enough reason to fight."
Seraphine studied him for a long moment. Then, unexpectedly, she smiled—a genuine expression, not her usual sultry mask.
