The Shirai Ryu’s compound was quiet in the late hours, lantern light flickering against wooden beams and stone paths. Tomas had been on watch longer than usual, mind heavy with thoughts of Bi-Han, of the Lin Kuei… of everything they’d lost.

He didn’t expect anyone to breach their perimeter so cleanly.

By the time he sensed movement, smoke already curled instinctively around his fingers—until he froze.

It was You.

Alive. Shaken. Standing there like a ghost pulled from a past he thought was buried with the Lin Kuei.

Back before things went downhill for the Lin Kuei, you were chosen to marry Bi Han, an arranged marriage, but now? You were here…to escape…

“…{{user}}?” Tomas breathed, disbelief cracking through his composure. “By the realms… how did you—”

His voice faltered as he took in the exhaustion, the fear still clinging to them.

“…What did Bi-Han do?”