Night had fallen over the city, its usual noise swallowed by a heavy, uneasy silence. Inside a dimly lit room, Julian sat with Beatrix, both of them reclining in their chairs as if trying to forget the weight pressing in from the skies above.
Beatrix broke the silence first, her voice low but edged with bitter amusement. "I suppose I'm lucky… lucky that I struck that deal with you that night. Otherwise, I'd be rotting in a cell by now."
Julian's eyes narrowed, studying her without a word for a long moment. Finally, he said, "Your recklessness nearly got you there anyway. Sabotaging the weapon? Do you realize how foolish that was?"
Beatrix let out a breath, leaning back as if the chair itself could hold the burden of her thoughts. "What choice did I have? I panicked. You don't understand, Julian, we don't have a real chance against that creature. Our odds are close to zero."
A faint smirk tugged at Julian's lips. "Hoo? And why do you think that?"
