"I'm not walking slow! I'm walking normally, see?" Aurana visibly changed her gait to speed up to a natural stroll.

"Thank you, Carajjo," Harald said before leading them out of the room.

Aurana kept glancing around nervously while they walked. Occasionally, she tried to stop Harald and Julan to interest them in some part of the house or another, but there was no erring them from eventually heading to the servant's quarters.

They entered into a plain wood and stone hallway at the back of the house. It was quiet, yet Aurana spoke loud enough to wake anyone up who could have been behind the few doors in the hall. "Oh! Jatinha's room is on this floor! Right over there!" Aurana pointed for Julan. "I hope they have been able to keep themselves entertained!"

Harald spoke over her, despite doing so at a lower volume. "Lady Aurana, please be courteous. There are servants trying to sleep."

"Yeah, I know, I'll be quiet," she said, clutching her elbow.

As they walked to Jatinha's door, there were a few dull bumps on the wooden floor beyond. Julan could faintly hear the sound of frantic brushing and unintelligible whispers.

Harald knocked on the door. "Jatinha, master Rhazii. Aurana and Julan are here to see you." He opened the door with no more warning.

Beyond, Rhazii and Jatinha were knelt either side of some kind of game board within Jatinha's cramped living space. She had a bed, a candle, and a desk with drawers, but little else. They both turned to the door and smiled.

"Hey brother, hey Aurana," Rhazii said.

"Hello." Jatinha looked ill-at-ease. A strand of fur was poking out behind her ear and she looked like she was catching her breath.

Apart from such small details, the scene before them looked entirely innocuous.

[hr]
Lunise lifted her middle just enough for Meesei to wrap her arms around her. Meesei could feel Lunise's heart racing in her chest beneath her arm.

She rolled onto her back again. She was face to face with Meesei, gazing gently into her eyes, a bare distance apart. "I could plausibly deny it later," she said at a near-whisper. "But...I would see you prove it anyway. Now, do not waste my time. Prove it."