"We'll see what they want. If they're only watching me, I can tolerate that for a while. If they intend to threaten Bastos, we'll deal with them somewhere far from the people."
"I'll tell Timur to keep the guards on their usual schedules. I don't want anyone behaving differently around those three."
"Good. Don't let anyone know we're suspicious."
"I wasn't planning to."
Satisfied, Ludwig stood and approached her. Celine immediately raised a hand, stopping him before he got any closer.
"Your hands."
"What about them?"
"You were handling dead rats and cockroaches."
"They're perfectly clean."
She stared at him. Ludwig looked down at his hands, then back at her, making little effort to hide his grin.
"They're undead. They don't even carry the same diseases anymore."
"That is not remotely reassuring. Go wash your hands."
"Fine."
"And properly."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Don't call me that."
