The echo of Kate’s parting words and her cloying scent lingered in the corridor like a curse. I watched her disappear, a predator retreating to her den, and the cold, analytical part of my mind began to dissect the encounter. She was not a simple complication; she was a lockbox of secrets, and her strange, dual-natured scent was the key. It was the scent of ancient betrayal, yet it carried a whisper of a home I couldn't remember, a dissonance that set my teeth on edge. My purpose was clear, given by a goddess herself: find Suspiria. Kate was a distraction, a dangerous one, and I would not allow her to divert me from my path.
My thoughts were interrupted by a sharp, appreciative whistle. I raised my head to see Aaron leaning against the stone archway of the great hall, his expression a mix
