“I’m here,” Yuina said, her voice feeling so soft against the clamor of the room. She didn’t turn her head to look back at Monarch but Yuina could feel the brush of her gaze as it flicked between the two of them. Smoke drifted as she moved, black and clinging as curled down her shoulders and one dress ate the other. She reached her hand out for Karen, a touch of her fingertips between the plates of armor on her shoulder, almost touching where the wings had fallen away before she drew her hand back. “Always here.”
The crowd parted as they passed, they muttered this or that but Yuina didn’t pay them any mind. But, there was a glow to them now, wasn’t there? A golden light just behind the eyes or in the glint of teeth. One to watch Monarch? One to sing her praises? Would such things vanish at her touch if she just reached out for them as she passed?
“I’ll manage the crowd and I’ll come find you once that is done.” Monarch’s voice trailed after them, so crisp and cool that it might have been a bitter winter wind with how easily it cut through the crowd. Yuina felt her spine stiffen as she refused to turn her head to look back.
Then, the crowd was gone, and they were at a door.
“I’ll be only a step behind you.” Yuina said. Her lips moved, her voice quiet as if she didn’t wish to be overheard. “Be careful around the corner.”
The crowd parted as they passed, they muttered this or that but Yuina didn’t pay them any mind. But, there was a glow to them now, wasn’t there? A golden light just behind the eyes or in the glint of teeth. One to watch Monarch? One to sing her praises? Would such things vanish at her touch if she just reached out for them as she passed?
“I’ll manage the crowd and I’ll come find you once that is done.” Monarch’s voice trailed after them, so crisp and cool that it might have been a bitter winter wind with how easily it cut through the crowd. Yuina felt her spine stiffen as she refused to turn her head to look back.
Then, the crowd was gone, and they were at a door.
“I’ll be only a step behind you.” Yuina said. Her lips moved, her voice quiet as if she didn’t wish to be overheard. “Be careful around the corner.”