For a while, silence stretched between them, heavy with all the things unspoken. Nobody talked about the hospital incident, it felt too unreal to believe it existed.

      Then, Roy Dashiel stepped around the desk, closing the distance between them. He stopped just a breath too close, his presence swallowing hers.

      "You'll start right away.", he said smoothly. "My empire runs on loyalty, precision and silence. You'll be tested. Fail, and you're out"

      "And what if I ...