A small breath of relief escaped Kaya before she could stop it. [8]
Thank God. [8]
When she'd first seen the brown bundle crash to the floor, her heart had almost stopped—but one look had already told her this wasn't *her* Sparrow. [8]
And now this idiot had just proved it again. [8]
But her eyes dropped to the little body lying on the ground. [8]
Whoever this Sparrow was, he was still bleeding, still not moving. [8]
And from the way the jackal spoke, Kaya knew he wasn't talking about the half‑dead one at her feet. [8]
She lifted her head slowly. [8]
"Who," she asked, voice flat, "are you talking about?" [8]
The jackal sneered, teeth flashing. [8]
"Don't you dare act ignorant," he spat. [8]
"Just hand that bastard Sparrow beastman over to us… and we'll let you go." [8]
Kaya's eyes turned ice‑cold as she stared at him.
"Who are you," she asked, voice low, "and how dare you enter here without permission?"
