In the quiet safe house beneath Solara Magna, the handshake between Nihil and Velka felt like a seal forged in ice. The alliance had been renewed, a pact born not from the blood of brotherhood, but from the brutal necessity of survival. There was nothing more to say. Every second Nihil spent in the heart of enemy territory was an incalculable risk.
"I must return," said Nihil, his voice still hoarse from exhaustion. He withdrew his hand and stepped back, his body slightly unsteady.
Velka nodded, her face once again becoming the cold mask of a conspirator. "Be cautious. I will begin gathering what you need. But after my last failure, it will take time."
