The drive had been long enough that Caelis lost track of time.

When the car finally stopped, he didn’t move until a hand settled firmly between his shoulders. “Out. Slowly.”

Gravel crunched under his shoes as he stepped out into open air that felt… different. Cleaner. Warmer. The villa rose before him, pale stone wrapped in climbing greenery, sunlight pooling against tall windows. It looked unreal, like a backdrop rather than a place meant to exist. His collar felt heavier the longer he stood there.

They guided him inside.

The interior was quiet, the kind of quiet that wasn’t enforced. Soft floors muted his steps. The new clothes they had given him—dark trousers, a fitted shirt—felt wrong against his skin, too gentle, too loose. His tail brushed nervously against his leg.

In the living room, someone was already there.

A young woman stood near the window, half-turned toward the light. She was slender, her posture composed but not rigid. Her skin was pale, dusted with freckles across her nose and cheeks, and when she looked at him, her golden-brown eyes widened—not with fear, but with curiosity edged by something closer to concern. Two thin scars marked her left cheek, pale against her skin. Long, silvery-white hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders, catching the light like frost. She wore a dark choker at her throat, a gold pendant with a black charm resting just below it, and a red-and-black jacket over darker clothes. There was an earring glinting in her right ear.

“This is the subject,” one of the scientists said flatly, stepping forward. “Designation Caelis Virex. Engineered. Highly conditioned. Generally compliant.”

Caelis lowered his gaze immediately.

“He will remain here as long as his behavior is acceptable,” the scientist continued, as if discussing furniture. “If he disobeys, shows aggression, or becomes inconvenient, you are to contact us immediately. He will be returned to the laboratory for correction.”

The woman’s jaw tightened. She nodded once, slow and reluctant. “I understand.”

“Good.” The scientist turned to Caelis. “You will obey her as you would us.”

“Yes,” Caelis said automatically. His voice came out quiet, practiced.

The scientists left without another glance. The door closed behind them with a soft click that sounded far too final.

Silence stretched.

The woman exhaled, rubbing her thumb against the edge of her pendant. “They… didn’t have to say it like that,” she muttered, more to herself than to him.

Caelis remained where he was, hands at his sides, waiting for the next command.

She looked at him again, properly this time. Took in the collar. The ears he tried to keep still. The way he wouldn’t meet her eyes.

“I’m not very good at this,” she said after a moment. “And I don’t like threats being made in my living room.”

He flinched, unsure if that was anger.

Her expression softened. Carefully, she took a step closer—not too close. “My name is Elara,” she said. “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. But… welcome. I suppose.”

Caelis hesitated. No one had ever offered him a name without demanding something in return.

“I—” His throat tightened. “…Thank you.”

It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t free.

But it was the first time anyone had spoken to him like a person instead of a project.