The city buzzed behind them, echoing with the fading cheers of the final match. But here, in a tucked-away corner of the capital, the sounds were softened. A public park, shaped by old stone paths and blooming hedgerows, bathed in the warm gold of late afternoon.
Trees and shrubs surrounded them, and, in the centre, a water fountain bubbled away.
Kai and Vepice sat on a carved stone bench tucked beneath the outstretched arms of a flowering ash tree. It was one of the few quiet places between the arena and their inn, a gentle pocket of nature in an otherwise thunderous city.
Kai raised his hand discreetly and flicked a shadow-tinged barrier into place that shimmered for only a heartbeat before vanishing to the naked eye.
"No one should be able to hear us now," he said, letting out a sigh and leaning back slightly. "So. It'll just be a couple more days until we leave the city."
Vepice nodded, her posture relaxed but her gaze alert. "That soon, huh?"
