Reynard leaned back in his chair, watching Seraphis with
mild curiosity
as she dug into her coat pocket.
"I have a present for you,"
she said casually.
He raised an eyebrow.
"A present? How rare. Should I be flattered?"
Seraphis pulled out a
small, dark pendant
and held it up between her fingers. The polished metal gleamed under the dim candlelight of the office.
Embedded in the center was the
image of a white raven.
Before she could hand it over,
Reynard smirked.
"Ah, I knew it. I always knew I was your favorite."
Seraphis
snorted.
"Oh no, no, no. First off, if you die, where else can I go to take commissions and get paid? And second—"
She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice—
"—you’re too damn creepy for your own good."
Reynard
chuckled
, reaching out to take the pendant from her hand.
"Fair enough,"
he murmured.
She
tapped the pendant with a finger
before letting it go.
"Imbue it with mana. If you ever need to get in contact with me, you can do it that way. Or…"
She tilted her head slightly, her white hair falling over one shoulder.
"If you're ever in trouble, I’ll find you."
Reynard
examined the pendant
, running a thumb over the intricate raven engraving.
"A white raven again?"
he mused.
Then he looked up, his gray eyes glinting with amusement.
"Are you obsessed?"
Seraphis
rolled her eyes.
"No, actually. For your information, I just love ravens. I grew up around them."
Reynard
smirked.
"Grew up around them? So what, were you raised by birds?"
Seraphis
grinned.
"Maybe."
A Guild on Edge
As they spoke, the guild outside
was stirring.
The
news of Seraphis' return
had spread like wildfire.
Some assassins watched from the shadows, murmuring among themselves.
Some were impressed. Some were afraid. Some were eager.
A few had already placed their bets.
How long before someone tried to
challenge her?
Seraphis could feel it in the air—the
shift in tension, the hunger in their gazes.
She smirked.
"If they want to die early, they can try me."
An Assassin's Warning
Reynard
set the pendant on his desk
and looked at her.
"You've stirred the pot, Seraphis. The capital is still in chaos. The nobles are panicking. The underground is shifting. And you… you just waltzed in here like you didn’t just topple a kingdom."
Seraphis
shrugged.
"And?"
Reynard sighed, rubbing his temple.
"And that means people will be coming for you. Some will want revenge. Some will want to use you. And others… will want to kill you just to make a name for themselves."
Seraphis
grinned, resting a hand on the deck of metal playing cards at her hip.
"Let them come."
Reynard shook his head.
"Try not to die before I make a profit off you, will you?"
Seraphis
laughed.
"No promises."