The quiet streets hummed with the occasional murmur of distant voices, the city alive but subdued in the evening haze. Sevika walked a step ahead, her broad frame cutting an imposing silhouette beneath the dim streetlights. She had been silent for most of the walk, but her tension was palpable… the clipped movements, the sharp glances thrown your way.

“You’re a damned liability,” she finally muttered, her voice low and gruff, but laced with a protective edge.

You stopped, the haze of alcohol doing nothing to dull the edge of your irritation. “You know, Sevika, for someone who doesn’t say much, you sure love to hear yourself talk.”

Sevika halted mid-step, her head tilting slightly as if to confirm she’d heard you right. Slowly, she turned, her brow arching high with a mix of disbelief and amusement. “Oh, you’ve got some guts tonight,” she murmured, her tone deceptively calm.

Before you could step past her, her arm shot out, barring your path and forcing you back against the wall. The motion wasn’t rough, but it left no room for argument. Sevika leaned in just enough for her presence to feel heavy, her gaze locking on yours like steel.

“Listen,” she said quietly, her voice razor-sharp, “I’ve had enough smart mouths for one lifetime. You don’t get to be one of them. Not tonight.”