"Can you get us there safely?"
"Yes. I've made this journey before on missions for Lord Loki. I know the routes, the hiding spots, where patrols are thin." She smiled slightly. "Getting there isn't the hard part. Killing Richard Clay and escaping afterward—that's the challenge."
They continued north as afternoon faded toward evening. Sylvara moved like a ghost beside him, her footsteps silent, her presence easily overlooked despite walking right next to him. It was uncanny how she could make herself fade into the background even in plain sight.
"Lord Satou," Sylvara said after a while. "May I ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
"Why did you rub my head earlier? That was... unexpected."
Satou smiled. "You looked like you needed it. Like you needed to be reminded that you're a person, not just a tool or a weapon."
