Toc.
Toc.
The footsteps continued drawing closer.
No one spoke.
The laughter that had filled the Golden Breath only moments before had disappeared.
Glasses remained motionless upon the tables.
Some women discreetly lowered their eyes.
Others straightened their posture.
Even those positioned near the walls had abandoned their apparent indifference.
Toc.
Toc.
The man who had been laughing before remained still.
His eyes moved toward the sound.
The arrogance still remained on his face.
But he no longer seemed as comfortable as before.
Éreon did not move.
The katana remained pressed against the two daggers.
Lili did not break contact either.
Toc.
The footsteps ceased.
The silence that came afterward seemed even greater.
Then...
A voice crossed the hall.
Calm.
Feminine.
"Seems I was away for too long."
No answer.
"Only a few hours..."
The voice remained serene.
"for you to mistake my hospitality for permission."
Éreon's eyes moved.
Beyond Lili's shoulder...
A woman stood beside the entrance.
Long black hair descended down her back.
Part of it remained held in an elaborate raised hairstyle, crossed by delicate chains and golden ornaments.
A large adornment occupied the back of her head.
Above it...
A golden structure rose among the black hair.
A few strands remained loose beside her face.
Among them...
Two golden eyes watched the hall.
Serene.
Not a trace of haste remained in her expression.
Black garments enveloped her body.
Light fabrics descended asymmetrically, leaving part of her shoulders, arms, and abdomen exposed.
Over the black...
Gold.
Delicate chains crossed her shoulders and arms.
Worked ornaments encircled her neck.
Others descended along her torso until meeting a large circular piece resting upon her abdomen.
Small ornaments hung beneath it.
A golden belt encircled her waist and hips.
Nothing seemed excessive.
Each piece seemed to occupy exactly the place that belonged to it.
Her golden eyes moved.
Stopped upon Lili.
Dropped to the two daggers.
And to the katana held between them.
"Lili."
The young woman remained motionless.
"That is not why I sent you ahead."
No reprimand weighed upon her voice.
Lili immediately broke contact.
The two daggers left Éreon's blade.
She stepped back once.
Then again.
"Forgive me, Miss Nika."
Éreon did not follow her.
The katana lowered slowly beside his body.
His eyes remained upon Nika.
She began to walk.
Toc.
Toc.
The golden ornaments moved discreetly over the black of her garments.
Nika's eyes passed over the fallen woman.
Over the coins scattered around her body.
Over the blood upon the wood.
The small trickle that still descended from the corner of her lips.
Then...
Found the man.
For an instant...
The arrogance on his face faltered.
His eyes remained upon Nika.
His body seemed to hesitate before he could control his own reaction.
"Miss Nika..."
The voice came out less firm than he intended.
He noticed.
Straightened his shoulders.
"Finally."
Nika continued approaching.
Toc.
Toc.
The man followed every step.
"Perhaps now we can resolve this as it should be resolved."
No answer.
He cast a brief glance at the women around him.
Then...
At the one who remained fallen among the coins.
"One of your ladies refused to fulfill that for which she was paid."
"When I demanded an explanation..."
His eyes returned to Nika.
"your servants decided they could treat me like any ordinary man."
Nika continued forward.
Toc.
Toc.
The confidence in his face began to disappear.
"Obviously..."
He cleared his throat.
"the situation took unnecessary proportions."
Nika stopped.
Only a few steps separated them.
The man held her golden eyes.
"I serve directly under the House of Count Caeté."
"I believe someone in your position..."
He slightly raised his chin.
"understands that certain men cannot be treated this way."
A murmur arose among the tables.
"He's still talking..."
Another man replied, barely moving his lips:
"And using the count's name in front of her..."
Nika remained silent.
Her golden eyes rested upon the man for a few moments.
"Yes."
The voice came calmly.
"You serve."
The man opened his lips.
Nika gave him no opportunity.
"Perhaps that is the part you forgot."
"Carrying the name of a powerful man upon your tongue..."
She slightly tilted her head.
"does not make you that man."
His jaw tightened.
"Miss Nika, I didn't mean—"
"No."
The word came low.
Even so...
He fell silent.
Nika held his gaze.
"You entered my house."
Her eyes briefly lowered.
To the coins on the floor.
"You injured one of my women."
They returned to him.
"And now you try to hide behind the name of your lord."
The gold of her eyes remained serene.
"Tell me..."
"Was it the count who ordered you to do all this?"
The man froze.
His mouth opened.
"I..."
No word came.
Nika waited.
Without haste.
The arrogance he had maintained since coming down the stairs no longer found anywhere to lean.
He looked away.
"No, Miss."
A small smile appeared upon Nika's lips.
There was no warmth in it.
"Then have the courtesy..."
Her eyes remained upon him.
"not to attribute a servant's vulgarity to a count."
His eyes traveled across the tables.
Around them...
No one said anything.
Some of the men who had laughed before already avoided looking at him.
One raised his glass to his lips.
Another simply turned his face away.
The man's jaw tightened.
Then...
His eyes found Éreon.
Stopped upon the katana held beside his body.
For an instant...
Something returned to his gaze.
"And him?"
Nika did not turn.
The man pointed at Éreon.
"Are you simply going to ignore this?"
Some eyes followed his gesture.
"A stranger enters your establishment wearing a hood..."
His voice recovered part of its firmness.
"draws a sword..."
"and nearly kills a direct servant of a count in front of everyone."
He discreetly spread his arms.
"Or do the rules of this house only exist when it suits you?"
The hall remained silent.
Nika observed the man.
Not the slightest change appeared in her expression.
"No."
The answer came simply.
The man seemed not to have expected it.
Nika turned her eyes to Éreon.
The cloak still concealed much of his face.
"An armed man crossing my doors is not something extraordinary."
Her eyes returned to the aggressor.
"Mercenaries."
"Escorts."
"Hunters."
A brief pause.
"Men who learned to trust steel more than the laws of those who govern them."
Her gaze remained serene.
"The Red Zone receives them all."
The man opened his mouth.
"But he tried to—"
"Kill you."
Nika finished for him.
"I was about to say exactly that."
The man fell silent.
Nika did not look away.
"He drew a weapon inside my house."
Her voice remained calm.
"And I will deal with it."
"Personally."
Nika subtly moved her face.
"Louren."
A woman left the side of the hall.
"Miss Nika."
"Take him to the purple room."
Several eyes immediately turned toward Éreon.
Nika continued:
"And remain with him until I finish here."
Louren inclined her head.
"Yes, Miss."
The woman walked toward Éreon.
Stopped a few steps away.
Her eyes briefly lowered to the katana.
Then returned to the face hidden by the cloak.
"This way."
Éreon remained still for an instant.
His eyes were still upon Nika.
She held that gaze.
No words were necessary.
SHIIING...
The katana returned to its sheath.
Éreon followed Louren.
The man watched the two of them with his eyes.
He opened his lips.
"But—"
"Is there any other irregularity in my house you wish to manage in my place?"
Nika's voice reached him before he finished.
He turned his face.
The golden eyes were already upon him.
"No..."
The answer took a moment.
"Miss Nika."
Nika resumed walking.
"Good."
She did not wait for him to move away.
The man was forced to make room.
She passed him.
Walked toward the fallen woman.
For a few moments...
She observed the blood.
The coins.
Then raised her eyes.
Scanned the hall.
Table after table.
Face after face.
Some men lowered their glasses.
Others straightened in their armchairs.
The women remained silent.
"I believe we have had enough entertainment for tonight."
No one reacted.
Nika left a brief pause.
"The Golden Breath will close its doors early."
A man in the back seemed about to protest.
He met her eyes.
Gave up.
"The drinks consumed tonight will not be charged."
Some faces rose.
"As for the companions already hired..."
Her eyes passed over the women scattered throughout the hall.
"they will be duly compensated by the house."
Then returned to the patrons.
The small smile reappeared.
Serene.
Impeccable.
"Consider my hospitality concluded."
Immediately...
SCRRRT...
A chair scraped across the wood.
A man stood.
Then another.
Within moments...
The hall began to move.
Glasses were abandoned.
Coats collected.
Bags closed.
Men crossed the hall toward the doors.
No protest.
No demands.
The man who served the count's house remained where he was.
For a few seconds...
He seemed to consider saying something.
Nika did not even look at him again.
That was enough.
He clenched his jaw.
Turned.
And followed the others.
One after another...
The patrons disappeared into the night.
The doors of the Golden Breath closed.
THUD.
Silence returned.
For a few moments...
Nika remained where she was.
Her gaze traveled across the hall.
Until it stopped upon a young woman.
"Amelia."
A woman left the group near the tables.
"Miss Nika."
Nika indicated the fallen woman with her eyes.
"Take care of her."
Amelia immediately approached.
Kneeling beside the young woman.
Her fingers touched her ribs carefully.
The woman tightened her face.
"Slowly..."
Amelia passed one arm behind her back.
Another servant approached to help her.
Nika raised her eyes.
At the top of the staircase...
The other young woman still remained beside the corridor.
The blanket was still pressed tightly against her body.
The mark on her face had darkened.
Nika looked at her for a moment.
"Her too."
Amelia followed her gaze.
"Yes, Miss."
Two women immediately climbed the stairs.
Only then did Nika turn her attention back to the rest of the hall.
The servants waited.
Some near the tables.
Others beside the walls.
None spoke.
"Tomorrow, these doors will remain closed."
Some gazes met.
Nika continued:
"And they will remain that way for the next few days."
One of the women seemed surprised.
Even so...
She did not interrupt.
"Use this time."
Her eyes traveled across the hall.
Stopped upon the abandoned glasses.
The chairs out of place.
The coins that still remained upon the wood.
"I want every room inspected."
"Every entrance."
"Every corridor."
Her eyes returned to the women.
"Everything that has become too comfortable to be observed..."
The small smile disappeared from her lips.
"will be observed again."
One of the servants inclined her head.
"And the patrons, Miss?"
Nika turned her eyes to her.
"They will find other places to spend their coins."
The woman lowered her head.
"Yes, Miss."
Nika let her gaze pass over the others.
"As for you..."
No one moved.
"none of you will lose payment for these days."
Some expressions changed discreetly.
Nika did not wait for any thanks.
"I only want you to be ready when these doors open again."
A pause.
"And that we do not have to learn the same lesson twice."
The women inclined their heads.
"Yes, Miss Nika."
The voices crossed the hall almost together.
Nika remained before them for another moment.
Then...
She turned.
Toc.
Toc.
She began walking toward the corridor.
Behind her...
The Golden Breath began moving again.
Amelia directed the women near the staircase.
Others began collecting the glasses.
Chairs returned to their places.
The lanterns were extinguished one after another.
Lili watched everything for a few seconds.
She put away the daggers.
And followed Nika.
Toc.
Toc.
The two disappeared into the corridor.
The commotion of the hall became distant.
Smaller lanterns illuminated that part of the Golden Breath.
The light crossed panels of worked wood and dark fabrics suspended between the passages.
Doors were distributed along both sides.
Some closed.
Others partially open.
In the distance...
The sound of running water carried through from one of the inner courtyards.
Nika continued walking.
Lili remained a few steps behind.
Toc.
Toc.
For some time...
Only the footsteps of the two filled the corridor.
"Miss Nika."
Nika did not turn.
"Speak."
Lili hesitated for a moment.
"The order you gave in the hall..."
Nika continued forward.
"Which one?"
Lili discreetly raised her eyes.
"To have everything inspected."
They passed beneath a sequence of lanterns.
"Do you believe we missed something?"
Nika did not answer immediately.
Her golden ornaments swayed gently with every step.
"Everyone does."
Lili remained silent.
"The problem begins..."
Nika continued.
"when we stop asking what."
Toc.
Toc.
The two crossed an opening leading to another wing.
The noise of the hall disappeared almost completely.
Lili watched Nika's profile.
"Do tonight's events concern you?"
Nika did not slow her pace.
"Not more than they should."
A brief pause.
"A man lost control."
"A boy drew a sword."
Nika turned the corridor.
"Neither requires me to close my house for several days."
Lili narrowed her eyes slightly.
"Then it wasn't because of them."
A small smile touched Nika's lips.
"For some time now, inconveniences..."
"have shown an admirable ability to appear where they should not."
Lili remained attentive.
"Separately..."
Nika ran her fingers along one of the golden chains around her wrist.
"they would be exactly that."
"Inconveniences."
Her eyes remained ahead.
"Together..."
Lili completed:
"they become a pattern."
Nika gave her a brief look.
"They become a question."
Lili held that gaze for a moment.
Nika turned forward again.
"Patterns are far too comfortable an answer when we still do not possess all the pieces."
A few more steps.
"And what is the question?"
Nika remained silent.
Ahead...
A servant appeared through another passage.
Upon recognizing Nika, she immediately stepped aside and bowed her head.
The two passed.
Only then did Nika answer:
"How much of us can be seen..."
Toc.
"by someone who knows where to look?"
Lili did not answer.
Nika continued:
"Today, a man entered here..."
"believing that his lord's name granted him power over this house."
A brief pause.
"Tomorrow, another may enter knowing exactly where this house is vulnerable."
Lili's eyes narrowed.
"Do you believe someone is looking for those vulnerabilities?"
Nika stopped.
Lili did the same.
For a few moments...
Nika watched one of the lanterns hanging beside the wall.
The flame wavered behind the glass.
"I believe it would be arrogant to expect that no one is."
She resumed walking.
Lili followed her.
"That is why the rooms."
"The rooms."
"The entrances."
"The corridors."
Nika enumerated each one without changing her voice.
"The people."
Lili fell silent.
The last word remained different from the others.
Toc.
Toc.
"Us included?"
Nika smiled discreetly.
"Especially us."
The corridor widened.
A small gallery appeared ahead, surrounded by columns of dark wood.
Beyond them...
The night could be seen over an inner courtyard.
Mist slowly crossed the garden below.
Lili walked beside Nika for a few steps.
"And what about what has already been seen?"
Nika turned her eyes toward the courtyard.
"Nothing remains hidden forever, Lili."
Her voice remained serene.
"That was never the objective."
Lili waited.
"The mistake is believing that exposure and understanding are the same thing."
Nika turned her eyes to her.
"They are not."
"Someone can watch a door open..."
The small smile returned.
"without ever discovering why it was opened."
Lili seemed to understand.
"Then we will let them see."
Nika resumed walking.
"We will let them see what we cannot prevent."
The two left the gallery.
"And we will be more careful with what we allow them to understand."
A few more meters...
And the corridor ended at a more secluded wing.
There...
The lanterns were scarce.
The silence, almost complete.
Louren waited before a door.
Upon noticing Nika...
She immediately straightened her posture.
"Miss."
Nika stopped before her.
Her eyes passed over the door.
Then returned to Louren.
"Any problem?"
"None."
Louren cast a brief glance behind her.
"He did not try to leave."
Nika remained silent.
"And he has not said a word since he entered."
Lili looked at the door.
Nika merely inclined her head slightly.
Louren understood.
She stepped aside.
Nika advanced.
Her hand rested upon the doorknob.
For an instant...
Her golden eyes remained upon the wood.
Then...
She turned the handle.
The door opened.