Well, the morning had started earlier than Liam expected. He stood there with the girls, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes, when Sylvia spotted them from across the courtyard and waved enthusiastically.
"Hey! You guys are really early today," she called out, yawning wide as she walked over. Her hair was a bit messy, like she had just rolled out of bed herself.
Director Elena stood right beside her and gave Sylvia a sharp poke in the ribs with her elbow. "Be serious for once," Elena muttered under her breath, her voice low but firm. "This is an important moment."
Sylvia's eyes snapped open fully at the poke. She straightened up quickly. "Right, right. Sorry about that."
Without wasting another second, she reached into her coat and pulled out a folded map and a small leather pouch. She tossed both items straight at Liam. He caught them easily, the map crinkling slightly in his grip and the pouch feeling surprisingly light for its size.
