The sigil beneath the city faded as quietly as it had awakened, leaving no tremor in the stone and no echo in the air, yet she felt it settle into her bones like an unspoken verdict. Whatever had stirred was old, far older than the Order or the royal family Selene served, and it had noticed her not as prey, but as an interruption.
Before she could speak, Selene walked away, leaving her alone there and her eyes narrowed, wondering what she was up to, but something told her to stay put and she did, deciding to wait.
The quiet that followed Selene's departure did not feel like solitude. It felt measured.
She remained on the balcony for a long moment, the city spread beneath her like a living diagram of intent, every street an artery, every tower a spine of authority. Somewhere below, the sigil that had stirred earlier settled back into dormancy, but the echo of its attention lingered inside her core like a held breath.
Protection, she thought, was never free. It only changed hands.
Behind her, the door opened again, softly enough that it did not announce itself as an interruption. She turned on instinct, posture tightening, senses flaring just enough to be ready without appearing hostile.
Selene stood there, gaze unreadable, suspicion and curiosity braided together so tightly she could not tell which led. For a heartbeat, neither of them spoke, both assessing the other, especially after their previous conversation, each aware that trust would be premature and hostility inefficient.
"You didn't run," Selene said at last, as if confirming a theory.
"I don't run without a reason," she replied evenly. "And I don't stay without one either."
A faint smile touched Selene's lips, sharp rather than warm. "Good. That means you're thinking."
She stepped aside, gesturing down the corridor. "This residence was never meant to be your final placement. It's a buffer, nothing more. You were always going to be moved once I confirmed you weren't about to explode or vanish."
"That's comforting," she muttered.
Selene's eyes flicked to her shadow, then back to her face. "You'll find that comfort is rarely honest in this city."
They had taken only a few steps when a voice echoed down the hall, bright and unmistakably human.
"Hey— you there. The one with the hood."
She turned, ears twitching beneath the fabric despite herself. A woman in fitted armor approached at an easy jog, dark hair pulled back, the insignia of the Order gleaming at her shoulder. Her blue gaze lingered openly, curiosity barely restrained, then flicked to Selene with immediate respect.
"Magistrate," the knight said, dipping her head. "You sent for me. The new quarters are ready."
Selene inclined her head once. "Good timing. Take her."
The phrasing did not escape her notice.
The knight's eyes sparkled faintly as she looked her over again, this time more slowly, as if cataloging details rather than judging them. "Didn't expect you would be placed with us," she said lightly. "You have already made an impression on a woman who is not easily please it would seem."
"I seem to be doing that a lot," she replied dryly.
Selene stepped closer, lowering her voice just enough that only she could hear. "This isn't charity," she said. "The knights' headquarters is one of the few places in the city where Order and enforcement overlap cleanly. If someone comes looking for you, they will hesitate. If you cause trouble, it will be noticed immediately."
Suspicion flared, matched by a reluctant understanding. "You want eyes on me."
"I want context," Selene corrected. "And I want you alive long enough to decide whether you are a problem I need to solve or an advantage I can afford to protect."
"You should understand something," she added. "The men who hunted you today were amateurs, tolerated only because they fed larger systems. By exposing them publicly, you didn't just escape them, you disrupted a supply chain."
That made her chest tighten. "So they won't stop."
"No," Selene agreed. "They'll escalate."
The system pulsed again, unease threading through its tone.
[Threat Projection Updated]
[Probability of Recurrence: High]
Their gazes locked, tension humming between them, neither yielding, then Selene stepped back.
"Go," she said. "We'll talk again soon."
The knight gestured for her to follow, leading her through a different route, deeper into the administrative heart of the district. The streets outside were quieter here, cleaner, watched by statues that were not statues at all but dormant constructs, their cores humming softly as she passed.
The headquarters rose ahead, a fortress of pale stone and steel lines, banners of Order hanging motionless despite the breeze. The moment she crossed its threshold, the air shifted again, heavier than the city streets but clearer, disciplined. Magic here was not wild or political. It was trained.
Her core reacted, not painfully, but it was alert, keeping her grounded to her new reality.
[High-Order Zone Detected]
[Threat Level: Controlled]
[Note: Hostile Action Strongly Discouraged]
The knight glanced back, noticing her hesitation. "Relax," she said with a grin. "If we wanted to bind you, you would already be on the floor."
That did not help as much as the woman seemed to think.
They climbed a set of wide stairs and turned down a quieter hall before stopping at a door etched with simple sigils, practical rather than decorative. The knight opened it and stepped aside.
"Temporary quarters," she said. "Private room, reinforced walls, and no one comes in without authorization. Including us."
Inside, the room was surprisingly comfortable, a wide bed, a desk, a narrow window overlooking the inner yard where knights trained even at this hour. Steel met stone, discipline softened by necessity.
"This is where I stay?" she asked.
"For now," the knight replied, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed. Her gaze flicked briefly to her ears, then her tail hidden beneath the cloak, before returning to her eyes. There was no disgust there, only interest, tempered by professionalism.
"Try not to disappear," the knight added, her tone half teasing, half serious. "People notice when Magistrate Selene takes an interest."
With that, she left, the door closing softly behind her.
Alone again, she exhaled and sat on the edge of the bed, senses slowly unwinding. The city pressed in from every side, authority watching, predators waiting, and somewhere beneath it all, something ancient listening.
This place was not safe. It was a cage with velvet lining.
Yet as she looked out at the training yard, watching disciplined movement and controlled power, a spark of something else stirred alongside her caution.
If she was going to be watched, then she would learn. If she was going to be measured, then she would grow.
And if this city believed it could decide what she was worth, then it had already underestimated her.
The game was tightening, and she knew it. Her time here was about to get a lot more complicated now that she wanted to belong and grow, instead of flinching at every unknown thing like a coward afraid of her newfound reality. She had no choice but to move forward and play along to survive.