But her hand had already taken the cheque, her fingers brushing against his for a fraction of a second.
Ytrisia stood with her mouth open beside her, similarly struck silent, her eyes darting between the two. Cruxius was already rising from his seat, his guards falling into formation around him with practiced, lethal grace. He moved toward the door without looking back, the coat draped over his shoulders swaying with his stride.
His plan had been to win Lira over. To impress her. To begin something carefully.
Fate, as usual, had its own schedule.
"Master, what happened?"
Darithi was beside him the moment he cleared the door, her heels clicking rhythmically on the pavement as she matched his pace. Ytrisia followed close behind, her breath hitching slightly from the sudden tension.
