Chapter 204.1 - No title

'He's following. Good.'

She had called him out here for a reason. It wasn't just for fun—though, of course, teasing him was always an enjoyable bonus. No, this was something she had been thinking about for a while now.

Astron remained silent as they walked, his sharp eyes scanning their surroundings. After a few moments, he finally spoke. "You still haven't told me where we're going."

Irina hummed, tilting her head slightly as she cast him a sideways glance. "If I told you, it wouldn't be any fun, now would it?"

Astron didn't respond right away, but she saw the faintest twitch at the corner of his mouth. Not quite a smirk, but something close. 'He's intrigued.'

Good.

As they walked, the cool night air brushing against them, Irina let the silence linger for a moment before speaking.

"So," she mused, tilting her head slightly. "How was your exercise?"

Astron raised an eyebrow. "Julia didn't tell you?"