Natalia curled her legs beneath her on Satori's bed, pretending to focus on the manga in her hands. The pages blurred as her eyes skimmed over panels without absorbing anything. This room had transformed completely in the past weeks. Gone was the disaster zone of empty snack packages and discarded clothing. Now everything had its place—desk neat and organized, floor spotless, bed made with military corners.
The only personal touch was a small shelf of well-worn manga volumes. She flipped another page, not really seeing the heroic characters spouting nonsense about friendship and loyalty. The irony burned in her chest. Here she was, reading about heroes while helping a villain build his empire.
The bathroom door clicked open. Steam billowed out in a thick cloud, and Natalia's breath caught in her throat.
