Lucas gave her a warm smile, his voice low but sincere. "You never cease to impress me. To gather evidence so quietly and so perfectly… that is brilliance. Truly. I always knew you were sharp, but this confirms it."
Henrietta let out a soft, almost amused breath. "Flattery from you sounds different. It feels… genuine."
"It is," Lucas replied. "You handled this better than most generals would. I'm proud of you."
A faint blush touched her cheeks, subtle but unmistakable. "Coming from you, that means more than you realize."
When her bath was finally done, she rose from the water, dried off, dressed, and motioned for him to follow her deeper into the chamber. Lucas assumed she would return to her desk or her cultivation mat, but instead she pointed to the edge of the large bed.
"Sit," she said quietly.
