living in this house.” His gaze swept briefly toward the doorway and the quiet rooms beyond before returning to the man.
“And if someone used this place as their address to escape a debt, then you have been misled just as much as I have.” @dthfooled
He straightened slightly, folding his arms again as he studied the stranger’s face, searching for any hint of whether this was a joke, a misunderstanding, or something more troublesome.
“I’m afraid you’re still mistaken, there is no woman here, and there hasn’t been one -
“If you admire it this much… maybe you should try.” His voice carried quiet encouragement,
and he stepped a little closer, moving to her side rather than directly in front of her so she wouldn’t feel cornered. With calm care, he placed the bow lightly into her hands, guiding the
back into his quiver with practiced ease. “An elf village that tolerates survivors… and a patrol that brings them in.”
He glanced back at her. “If the Dark Ruler truly avoids their territory… then yes, that’s safer than sleeping under branches.”
His amber eyes met hers again.
@ordersdisguise and observant.
“But judging from the way you presented it… you wouldn’t bother asking if the number was small.” He tilted his head slightly. “Three or four wouldn’t be worth the mystery.”
A quiet chuckle slipped from him.
“So I’ll say six.”
@ordersdisguise Erez rubbed his thumb against his chin for a brief moment, pretending to think harder than he actually needed to. Then a small, knowing smile tugged at his lips. “Well, that leaves six possibilities,” he said calmly. “One through six.”
His eyes flicked back to Nagumo, sharp -