Inside Janzo's Lab
As Janzo jotted down results in his journal, Tony entered quietly, carrying a small plate of food. He handed it to Talon, who gave him a grateful nod and settled onto a wooden stool near the edge of the room.
He studied her in silence for a moment. "Can I ask something personal?"
Talon glanced up, cautious. "Depends on what you ask."
"Your people," Tony said. "You don't talk much about them."
Talon looked down at the food, the steam rising up like ghosts. Her jaw clenched slightly before she spoke.
"They were wiped out," she said, voice low. "The Blackbloods… we were hunted. Everit Dred and his followers believed we were a threat—monsters who didn't deserve to live alongside humans."
Tony's eyes narrowed. "And you were just a child?"
She nodded. "I watched them burn my village. Heard the screams of my kin. I ran—blind, barefoot, afraid. An arrow was fired straight at me."
She paused, eyes distant now.
"But something happened. A pulse. A shimmer in the air. My Lu-Qiri—he appeared out of nowhere. Took the arrow for me. I don't know how I survived. I don't even know why I was spared. But I've never stopped running since."
Tony sat beside her, quiet.
"You were meant to survive," he said softly. "So the world could remember."
Talon's voice trembled just a little. "I don't want vengeance, Tony. I want peace. But peace doesn't come easy when your name is on a bounty poster."
He looked at her with a steady gaze. "Then let's make the world see the truth. Not the lies Dred wrote in blood."
Talon stared at him, surprised by the quiet strength in his words.
.....
Talon pulled back from Janzo's arms just enough to meet his eyes, the heat from their kiss still lingering between them like a quiet storm. Her breath slowed, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"You know, for a man of science," she whispered, "you're dangerously good at this."
Janzo chuckled nervously, scratching behind his ear. "I may not be a warrior, Talon… but I've got heart. And it's been yours for longer than I care to admit."
She touched his chest gently, letting the weight of that moment settle between them.
But far from the warmth of Janzo's lab, politics and pressure brewed under torchlight.
Inside the Royal Council Chamber – Castle Hall of Gallywood Outpost
Queen Rosamund sat high on her throne, though her shoulders bore the weight of an entire realm. The council chamber was quiet, save for the occasional crackle from the large hearth. Maps of the Outpost and its borders were spread before her, dotted with markers of rising unrest.
Her gaze was sharp—commanding—but underneath, worry flickered. The towns were tense. Whispers of Plaguelings resurfacing, bounty disputes, and the rising uncertainty surrounding the last of the Blackbloods clouded every decision she made.
Around her sat four trusted advisors—generals, scribes, and her court mage—but none dared speak until she invited it.
"I will not let this realm fall," she said firmly, tracing her finger across the border of Gallwood. "The people will be protected. Trade must remain open, and any attempts to ignite rebellion through false bounty hunts will be answered swiftly."
"The bounty on the Blackblood woman... Everit Dred still searches. Do you believe she's alive?"
Queen Rosamund leaned back, eyes distant. "I'm not accepting any bounty. Blackblood? I've never even heard of that... a human with black blood?"
But her mind wasn't on that—not really. Not on the Blackblood.
No—part of her heart still held the echo of someone else.
Garrett.
Once, when she was just a princess, he had stood beside her—not just as a sword, but as a comfort. Their bond had been unspoken but deep, blooming in secret corners of the palace after her father's death. With no male heir to take the throne, she had risen. And he had stayed… for a time.
Until ambition cracked the foundation.
Until Garrett changed.
Or maybe… until she had.
.....
Elsewhere in the Outpost – Garrett's Quarters
Garrett sat in silence, gazing into the dim candlelight that flickered on his desk. His sword lay untouched beside a sealed message—his own handwriting visible on the scroll's edge.
Hee thought of Talon,
He hoped she was still with Janzo.
And instead of hunting her down for a bounty that no longer meant anything, Garrett made a decision.
He rose, fastened his coat, and stepped into the hall.
Moments Later – Janzo's Door
A knock came—gentle, hesitant.
Inside, Talon glanced up. Janzo moved to answer, wiping his hands clean from a mixture of herbs and oils still on the table.
He opened the door… and blinked.
"Garrett?" Janzo said cautiously.
Garrett looked tired—eyes heavy, voice even. "Is she here?"
Janzo didn't answer immediately.
Garrett nodded to himself. "Good. I'm not here to fight. Not here to arrest her. I came… to check on her."
Talon stepped into view, arms folded but wary. "Why?"
Garrett swallowed hard. "Because I've already lost someone I loved—Queen Rosemund made her choice. And I respect it. But if I can save someone… anyone… from that same regret—I will."
His eyes flicked to Janzo. "She's safer with you. Just keep her that way."
Without another word, Garrett turned and walked off, his boots echoing in the stone corridor.
Back Inside
Janzo closed the door gently behind him.
"He's changed," Talon whispered.
Janzo nodded. "Maybe. Or maybe love just changes us all."