Xara did not appear surprised when Jax approached.
She had sensed him long before he turned the corner. After all, to her, the presence of the Demon King was quite alarming, and Jax wasn't exactly hiding his presence when he arrived to alert her.
By the time he stepped fully into view, she was already turning toward him with composed elegance, a slender crystalline cup still held between her fingers.
Ashanti stood beside her, one hand lightly resting against the railing that overlooked the negotiation terrace below. Her posture was relaxed, but attentive, head tilted slightly as if listening to layers of sound most others could never perceive.
The faint wind at this height threaded gently through her silver-dark hair.
"Hey," Jax said, his voice calm but warm, directed toward her. "I've been looking for you for quite a bit, you know."
Ashanti inclined her head slightly toward him, her lips curving into a soft, familiar smile,
