Chapter Text
The following days were quite an ordeal for Viktor and Luke. Both of them had uncovered the identity of the ‘Dear Lady’ herself — while their shock was the same, their reactions were different.
Viktor remained silent, perturbed after having listened and watched Lumine acting like an honourable lady from the Zapolyarny Palace in Snezhnaya. There was something strangely mesmerizing in watching her smooth her hair with her fingertips while she answered Ekaterina’s questions, as though having an assistant or servant was something normal for her.
“I feel like doing something easy today, is there any commission which doesn’t involve fighting?”
“Of course, My Lady! In fact, there is a commission in that town of your liking!”
His astonishment faded only when he heard the 11th Harbinger clear his throat. Viktor startled when he heard him and, noticing his scolding glare and authority-imposing posture, bowed his head.
“My apologies, Master Childe.” He didn’t dare to raise his eyes, afraid of being scolded. “I’m here to serve your breakfast.”
He felt a petulant discomfort while talking, more because of the Traveller's presence in the room and the implications of that fact rather than the Harbinger himself.
He waited for his authorization to fulfill his duty, yet all he got was a reprimand instead.
“You haven’t greeted the Traveller yet, soldier.”
Viktor felt shivers running down his spine and he was about to raise his head. He had momentarily forgotten that it was part of the Fatui’s rules of conduct to treat Harbingers’ relatives and lovers with the same respect as them. His heart raced — he hadn't greeted back the girlfriend of the 11th Harbinger, the most belligerent of all.
“I…”
“Childe,” Lumine’s voice resounded in the room — it was evident that she intended to be heard and obeyed. Viktor was unable to look at her — he was too afraid of provoking the Harbinger's anger.
“Don’t nag him. He's a friend.”
That statement surprised him. The Fatui had asked her to help him buy souvenirs or purchase new items for his collection, in exchange of information, but he doubted that their business relationship could be considered as a kind of friendship.
“I thought I was your only Fatui friend, girlie." Childe jabbered.
“My only Fatui friend who almost killed me.” Her voice sounded angry before gaining a soft tone. “Viktor, raise your head. Childe won’t hurt you.”
In response to her request, Viktor hesitated a few seconds. The Herald, noticing that, uncrossed his arms and sighed.
“You’ve heard her.”
The Herald gave his approval and headed towards the table in the centre of the room to be served breakfast.
Viktor pursed his lips and, still hesitant, raised his eyes a bit fearful. Lumine was standing in front of him, with her typical hands-on-her-hips pose, and wearing a hotel’s robe. Her golden eyes sparkled as much as before, but her expression was less tense than usual. It took him a while, yet he managed to conclude that it was due to the fact that she didn’t see him as an enemy or mystery to unfold anymore.
Lumine nodded, showing her approval. Behind her, Ekaterina hid a sympathy chuckle with her hand.
“Do you need help?” the Traveller asked.
Agitated, Viktor hurried to refuse her implicit offer. However, the red-haired male preempted.
“Girlie, let yourself be pampered.” said Childe playfully and in a tone of noticeable tenderness.
The blonde narrowed her eyes at the ginger, and then, at Viktor. The latter nodded.
“Take a seat… My Lady…” Lumine got surprised at this nickname — she didn’t expect to be called like that by little Lili’s friend. “Breakfast will be served in no time.”
The golden-eyed one nodded, quizzical, and approached the table. Viktor grabbed the plates and started to serve them. Although he didn't mean to listen to their conversation, he couldn't help but be more focused on it than it was respectful.
“You got up too early.” Lumine said while grabbing the rice bowl in front of her.
Childe sighed and ate with his bare hands a salmon cake. “New recruits will arrive, so I have to give them that tedious speech.”
“I see…” She swallowed and commented without malice, “Do you want me to ambush them while they wait for you?”
Viktor froze at that, but continued serving them after noticing Childe’s wide smile.
“I’d love to, but aren’t you a bit tired? I was a bit rough with you yesterday.”
“The one who required aftercare was you.”
Viktor was glad he had to perform a highly rigorous training in order to enter the Fatui — otherwise, the cup of coffee he was holding would have fallen to the ground. Moreover, he never thought it possible to appreciate his mask so much, which covered half his face and hid his creeping blush.
“Huh… Maybe I went a bit too far, but..”
Fortunately for the Fatui — who just finished serving breakfast — Ekaterina intervened, “Master Childe, Miss Lumine.” The two looked at her. “We have finished our task. Have an excellent morning and good luck with your duties.”
Childe nodded, “See you at the Bank.”
“Take care,” Lumine said with a friendly smile.
Once they left, Viktor sighed — relieved of being away from the unexpected couple. No, he said to himself, he had suspected that Lumine was the Harbinger’s lover. Few people would fit the standards of one of the most powerful Fatui members, and at the same time, be able to win the affection of the loyal agents. He had met her during the first week she and Paimon arrived in Mondstadt, and witnessed how people approached her like bugs drawn to bright lights, especially Vision holders. Nevertheless, he ignored his suspicions and tried to convince himself that it was impossible, as far as he knew — the Honorary Knight’s loyalty belonged to the Knights of Favonius and Mondstadt.
“Surprised?” Ekaterina interrupted his thoughts — in spite of her mask, she seemed pleased. “She is really humble, it took her weeks to accept that I informed her about her commissions, but it seems like she got used to it now.”
Viktor found himself struggling with words, maybe out of fear of saying something inappropriate. “She is…”
“Don’t worry about that,” it was like she had read his mind, “it’s better if we don’t get involved.”
The taller Fatui nodded slightly, still puzzled by what he had just seen. Not only had he found out that the Honorary Knight was the 11th Harbinger’s girlfriend, but also he had witnessed one of the 11 Harbingers behave like an attentive and affectionate boyfriend. He never imagined fearing for his life for not having properly greeted the Traveller.
Arriving at the dining room, he wasn't surprised to find his mission partner sitting at a table, shouting hysterically while the Fatui group they had met tried to calm him down. What indeed surprised him, and it shouldn’t have, was seeing Paimon eating at a nearby table and being served by the waitresses as if she was a princess.
The two remaining days were an absolute torture for Viktor.
On one hand, he tolerated Luke’s yells and insults, who — after a Spirits bottle — refused to believe the truth even though Viktor revealed to him that he had seen Lumine in the Harbinger’s bed. On the other hand, he had to deal with his own disbelief at the situation. Both of them couldn’t believe that the Harbinger and the Honorary Knight were a couple, although the day following the revelation they witnessed a scene that could only be described as a marital argument.
It had been a bit shocking. After lunchtime, Luke and Viktor headed to the Bank and waited for Ekaterina to give them new instructions. They had almost finished talking when they heard poorly concealed whispers coming from the staircase. From a reflex, almost everyone present looked for the source of sound, finding the Honorary Knight walking down the stairs in a hurry and the red-haired Harbinger following her in company with Paimon. The fair girl seemed annoyed and the red-haired boy seemed exasperated.
“Lumi, just take it! What’s wrong with doing so?!” the Harbinger shouted, without real anger in his voice. “It’s just money!”
Paimon encouraged him from behind, “Listen to him, Lumi! It’s mora, easy mora!”
“Childe!” The blonde yelled in exasperation when she reached the foot of the stairs. She turned around and put her hands on her hips. “I refuse to take your money without a commission! What kind of lazy person would I turn into if I did!?"
The Harbinger shrugged, trying to downplay the matter. “I don’t know, my friend? My comrade? My girlfriend? Just take the money, you know I have plenty!”
Lumine closed her eyes tightly and massaged her temples.
“I don’t…” suddenly, her expression changed. Her mind went blank and she raised her head to stare at the Harbinger. “Wait… What did you just say?” He opened his mouth to repeat it, but Lumine continued. “Childe, boyfriends do not give unlimited money to their girlfriends, that only happens in a marriage!”
The Harbinger crossed his arms. He had an indifferent expression. “Sorry, girlie, but boyfriends do that too.”
“Uh…” Paimon looked at him, doubtful. “Paimon’s never heard that they do that…”
Lumine huffed, “That’s because they don’t.” She said to her floating companion before speaking to the Harbinger. “Sorry to prick your bubble, Childe, but you’re wrong.”
“No, I think you're just making up excuses, girlie.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are. You don’t fool me.”
“I am not doing that.”
“Yes.”
“You’re not turning this into a competition, Childe.”
“I don’t have to, I know I'm right,” he smirked maliciously, “but since you suggest it, what about we…?"
Before he could finish his sentence and propose a combat, Paimon intervened.
“Oh, Paimon knows! Let’s ask someone!” Lumine and Childe stopped arguing to focus on her, who looked for the closest person. “Excuse me, sir. Is it normal that boyfriends give money to their girlfriends?”
The gentleman, a regular customer of the Bank, smiled.
“To be honest, no, I’ve never heard that.”
Lumine exclaimed with a victorious smile, “Ha!” Childe frowned.
“Thank you, sir!” Paimon floated towards Ekaterina at the counter. “And you, Ekaterina? Have you ever heard that?”
The Fatui receptionist and spy stared at the pixie and then at her boss. “I’m sorry, Master Childe, but the Lady is right…”
In response, both Paimon and Lumine puffed their chests, proud of themselves. Tartaglia raised a brow and stared at Viktor and Luke. Both men exchanged looks. They guessed it was better to tell the Harbinger the truth.
“Yes, Sir.”
“It’s true...”
The ginger gave a glance to the group and sighed, abandoning his defending pose.
He muttered, “That explains what my mom used to say...”
Lumine — the only one who heard that — stood on her tiptoes and ruffled the Harbinger’s hair, as though he was a little child that had to be cheered.
“See you, Childe.”
Without further ado, the blonde girl ran to the exit. Paimon followed her.
“Wait, Lumine! Take the mora, the mora! Why do you prefer killing ugly monsters rather than buying food with his mora!?”
“It’s not that fun!"
In response to her words, the Fatui agents present — except Viktor and Luke — laughed. Childe smiled with affection and pride. He put his hands around his mouth and screamed. “See you at dinner, girlie, I’ll cook something special!”
Lumine stopped at the door and beamed. “Then I'll bring the dessert! Bought with my own money!”
After waving his hand, she left.
The Harbinger sighed. He seemed satisfied in spite of having lost an opportunity to a duel.
Noticing some of his subordinates were still staring at him, he clapped his hands twice.
“Well, the show is over. Get back to work.”
The phrase ‘disgustingly homelike’ popped up in Viktor’s mind, who tried to ignore the concealed disgusted face Luke was making. If one of them had considered the possibility of the Harbinger and the Traveller’s relationship to be exclusively sexual, that supposition faded away after that scene between both warriors.
“I want to puke…” Luke groaned.
Viktor just nodded, maybe they were hallucinating and everything would end if they disposed of the rest of the exotic food and alcohol from their systems.
To the misfortune of both, they had to admit that what they had witnessed and heard wasn’t a hallucination. After seven days in Liyue, they left with some souvenirs, new friendships and disgusting memories related to the Traveller and the Harbinger.
The long trip days seemed never-ending — on the first day they refused to talk about that topic; on their first night they ended up screaming in disbelief about what they had witnessed while they were having dinner. The following three days, they tried to understand how the union between Master Tartaglia and the Honorary Knight could have happened. During the rest of their nights, Luke had nightmares about receiving orders from Lumine, who forced him to keep guard in front of the Favonius Order and to be everyone’s laughing stock.
Viktor told him his dreams were absurd — the Traveller didn’t have any authority over the Knights of Favonius to give such orders. Luke felt relieved.
In spite of his own words, Viktor was dealing with unsettling thoughts and dreams as well.
His own dreams weren’t as absurd and disproportionate as his mate’s. They were simpler — he told his superiors that the Heroine of Mondstadt was the 11th Harbinger’s lover. No one believed him. Instead, he was dismissed from the Fatui, his mother cried for having raised a traitor who was against the Organization that gave them everything, the sisters of the Church of Favonius viewed him as if he was a joke, his father said he didn’t have any son and little Lili hated him for “saying horribles things about Lumine”. Finally, he ended up in the streets and seeing how the Honorary Knight and the 11th Harbinger mocked him while snorting “Did you really think that you could give us away?” and taunting him “I pity you, so I will end your suffering right now.”
Yes, Viktor’s nightmares were worse than Luke’s.
When they were about a day to arrive in Mondstadt, both Fatui agents made a promise: they would never reveal what they had seen in Liyue. If the rest found out, it wouldn’t be because of them.
That promise would be broken in less than twenty-four hours.
Arriving in the city, Viktor and Luke handed in their reports, omitting any mention of 'the lady'. Fortunately for both, rumours about the minds on other issues.
Luke stood in front of the Hotel, happy to see the scenery that he had already memorized. He had never thought that he would be happy having that job, yet he preferred the routine rather than disgusting surprises.
Viktor headed to the Church. He tried to ignore the guard in the gate like he usually did, yet the guard spoke to him.
“Oh, you’re back.”
Viktor looked at him as a sign of acknowledgement, “Orders.”
The guard nodded, “Then, welcome.”
Viktor wished he didn’t feel a soft, warm sensation in his chest because he was being treated amicably instead of distantly. The situation didn’t get better when he passed through the gate and heard a childish excited scream.
“Mr. Fatui!”
Lili ran towards the newcomer, getting away from his father. Viktor had to make an effort to repress his urge to bend and receive a hug that he was obviously going to be a victim of. Instead, he stayed still and let the girl wrap her arms around his body.
“Welcome back! I missed you! Where have you been? Lili was worried!”
“I was…” Viktor looked around, the Sisters were already glaring at him and the little girl’s father looked concerned. Viktor recovered his normal countenance, “In an evil Fatui mission!”
Lili smiled, excited, “Really? Where was it!? What did you do!? I bet you did good stuff too! Right?!”
Viktor repressed his smile. That was what he needed ― to distract his mind and not to think about awful things. The little girl’s presence was a blessing in that moment, however, he should keep his low reputation. He gently put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her aside.
“That’s confidential, go back with your parents.” He ordered, crossing his arms.
Lili nodded, “OK, but you have to tell me one of your stories later!”
Having said that, the little girl returned with her father. Viktor went to his designated place and decided to use that time to think about how he would give the present he got in Liyue to the little child. If he came near to the girl and gave her the package with the doll, he would be scowled by the Sisters of the Church. He clicked his tongue, it wasn’t his fault that nobody there seemed to care for Lili, they literally let her approach an evil Fatui! What were they thinking?!
Already in his place, he kept thinking. Lili’s parents were neglecting, most of the time they made her stay in the Church, without meeting other children and enjoying some fresh air. Sometimes he thought he was the only one worried about the girl’s entertainment, well, him and the Traveller. She had looked after her during the Windblume Festival.
His train of thought was abruptly halted by the memory of Lumine waking up in the Harbinger’s bed. He shook his head and tried hard to avoid the sensation of being watched. He focused again on his plan of delivering Lili’s present ― he could arrive earlier than usual, but that would be suspicious. He could leave the package outside? No, wrong idea, he didn’t want to do something that Barbara’s stalkers did. Ask someone to deliver it for him? It could be, yet the only person who he would be brave enough to ask them was the Traveller, and at that time she was with…
Viktor slightly grunted, he had come back to the same thought again.
The hours passed and when he thought about the Traveller and the Harbinger for the 8th time, he decided he had to do something to end his misery. Watching the parishioners arrive and leave the Church didn’t distract him, the sporadic chats with Lili just made him remember what he had seen, the Sister’s glares just pushed him to have that insane desire to yell at them that he wasn’t the one committing immoral acts.
He had to do something. He couldn’t continue in this situation, it had been more than a week and a half ago and his thoughts didn’t stop. He rubbed his face with his hands, he felt the Sister’s sharp glare upon him again. Suddenly, the memory of the weekly speech he was used to listening to popped up in his mind. Sister Victoria used to say she would be there to listen to anyone’s sins and struggles. Well, his mind couldn’t stop going back to an awful memory of an immoral act which wasn't his own and that made him upset. But maybe, telling somebody about the others’ acts would calm him down. If he wasn’t wrong, it was part of the Sister of the Barbato’s Church code not to spread the secrets people entrusted them with.
Viktor bit his lower lip, hesitant. His loyalty to the Tsaritsa wasn’t similar to the Sister’s loyalty to the Anemo Archon, yet the discomfort persisted. However, he felt like if he continued keeping that secret, everything would get worse.
He took a deep breath and left his designated place in front of the pillar. Walking slowly and hesitantly, he approached Sister Victoria, who remained calm while praying. She — noticing his presence — looked at him confused and wary.
Viktor cleared his throat to avoid stuttering or whispering.
“I… need to talk about something… to someone…”
He informed — his cheeks were blushed, ashamed. He’d been months in some kind of cold war against the Anemo Archon’s clerk, but he was desperate. He’d rather swallow his pride than keep suffering.
Victoria opened her eyes slightly, she was shocked by the sudden confession, but she nodded and got herself ready to act in a professional way, as usual.
“I am happy you’d finally like to atone for your…”
Viktor interrupted her before she could continue speaking.
“No! It’s not that! I love being an evil and proud member of the Fatui!” He hurried to explain, aware of Victoria’s disbelief and perplexed look. He sighed and shrugged. “It’s just that… I saw something… Horrible… And I haven't been able to sleep well since then… I can't just stop thinking about it, although I’ve already tried it… And I thought that… Maybe I need to talk about it with someone… Someone who wouldn’t spread it… I… I can’t keep this secret anymore… I feel like I can’t think about anything else and I need to get it out of my chest and mind.”
Victoria frowned, she had heard that discourse before — they were always followed by tragic and terrifying declarations. Most of them involved crimes or damaging other people’s wellbeing. She nodded. Although the man in front of her was a Fatui, she liked to think that even people who were on the wrong path could be saved. If the Fatui was asking for her help, it probably meant he was desperate. She would do her job, she would listen to him, advise him and give him any kind of comfort he needed.
“I understand…” She answered and pointed with her hand at the seats nearby them. “Let’s take a seat and talk. Whatever it is, I will listen to you and I won’t judge you”. Seeing Viktor hesitate, she added, “No one will know, I promise.”
They both sat down, Viktor was stiff and tried to transmit all the seriousness that the situation required.
“No one can know about this…” He tried his best not to look terrified, yet he knew he was probably failing at it. “Those involved… aren’t being discreet… but if they find out that the information infiltrated in Mondstast because of me, I… I don’t know what could happen to me…”
Victoria nodded, looking more solemn than usual. She was wondering what could Viktor have seen, a wicked Fatui plan? Maybe a plan that involved torture? Underages? Drugs? She hoped it was nothing like such ― the Church was still conflicted about whether these cases should be revealed or not.
Viktor gripped his hands, he remembered the events in Liyue — when they arrived, the moment when they heard about “The Lady”, how he and Luke little by little made an imaginary picture of that woman, the moment when the truth was revealed, the instances when he watched the Harbinger and the Traveller act as a couple of lovers. He closed his eyes for a moment and when he opened them he sought the Sister’s eyes, but couldn’t help but look again at his hands. He couldn’t face her.
“I… saw the Honorary Knight…” that caught Victoria’s attention, who feared the worst, “... in the 11th Harbinger’s bed…”
The disbelief took hold of the Barbatos’ follower who raised an eyebrow. She’d heard the confession, but her mind refused to accept it.
“What...?”
Viktor swallowed. He couldn’t blame her for her reaction, the situation sounded so foolish as if someone was saying that the Archon Barbatos was actually that drunkard bard who always roamed saying the wind was his friend.
“The Traveller, Lumine, and the Harbinger Tartaglia are lovers…” Victoria's mouth and eyes were wide open, they seemed to be going to pop out of her orbits. “I found them in bed…”
Having said those last words, Viktor felt that the weight of that secret disappeared from his shoulders, yet he had no time to relax since Victoria sprang from her seat and her voice resounded in the Church.
“That Lumine and the Harbinger are lovers?!”
The parishioners turned their heads to the source of the scream. The Sister had covered her mouth with both hands, clearly ashamed of her outburst. Around them, the passerby started mumbling and asking the ones nearby if they had heard correctly.
Viktor felt the world crumbled down his feet, he hoped that the 11th Harbinger wouldn't punish him for having made his affair public.
At the same time, Luke was tensed up. Even if he denied it, he was aware he was a blabbermouth. Keeping the secret of the Traveller and the 11th Harbinger required a conscious effort and biting his tongue to avoid saying what was bothering him. In addition to this, he had to bear the Knights of Favonius’ looks of disgust.
At first he was happy to have returned to his routine, but now he wished the looks of disgust or indifference weren't part of his day.
“Maybe we wouldn’t be here if you were able to keep your city safe.” He raged, mad at the Knight called Aramis’ passive-aggressive comment.
“We, the Knights of Favonius, are perfectly capable of protecting Mondstadt.” A brown-haired Knight, Huffman, answered, “Your presence isn’t necessary.”
Luke chuckled, “Really? As far as I remember you have received too much, really too much external help”
The Fatui rejoiced seeing their hurt-pride faces.
Aramis frowned, “If you're talking about the Honorary knight, she is a proud and honourable member of the Knights of Favonius. She isn’t an outsider, she is a member of the city.”
Hearing that declaration, Luke couldn’t help but to crack up so hard that he almost bent.
“Yeah, sure. She would never befriend the enemy.” He mocked them.
The Knights frowned, “Are you doubting the Honorary Knight’s loyalty?! You…!”
Huffman put a hand over Aramis’ shoulder, making him stop yelling. “Leave him alone, he is just trying to provoke us…” He gave the Fatui a look of disgust. “You’d better learn how to behave according to your ‘position’, Fatui.”
Luke frowned, but kept smiling. “I know really well my and my Organization’s position, unlike you. You should learn more about the Honorary Knight.”
Both knights stared at him in distrust.
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, nothing,” Luke smiled, “it pleases me to know she trusts you that much.”
Aramis tried to approach him again, but his comrade stopped him. He told him to leave while shaking his head. However, this time, Aramis ignored him.
“Ha! So we have to believe that the Traveller trusts you more than us, just like your superiors trust you?”
Luke frowned — it didn’t surprise him that they knew his low rank. That annoyed him. “Of course, they trust me.”
“Sure…” the blond knight said slowly, “Prove it.”
Luke remained silent, the only thing he knew was that his superiors were in deadlock, that he and his fellow agents didn’t have to do anything until they received new orders — the only instruction they had was to avoid conflicts.
The Knights mocked him, the brown-haired one was more discreet.
“Let’s go, Huffman, this guy was just bragging.”
Luke frowned and blushed out of anger. He was used to being looked down on, but he’s never liked that. He wanted to make them shut up.
“Great, run away and think you are the big deal, Knights of Favonius! You’re pathetic! It doesn’t surprise me that the Honorary Knight prefers to bang our powerful 11th Harbinger than to stay here with you!”
Both Huffman and Aramis stopped. It took them a few seconds to understand what the Fatui's words implied. About to draw their swords, they turned around, ready to attack.
The few bystanders stopped to see what was going on. Sansa walked away from the fountaine, but stayed close enough to listen; Herman stopped strolling and watched how the situation unfolded; and the people going down and up the stairs tried to walk slower to listen carefully to the quarrel.
It was unusual that an argument between the Fatui and the Knights had gone so far, and it was way more unusual that it had involved the Honorary Knight, in that way. The spectators were in disbelief, was that a desperate move of a sourceless man to win a dispute?
“What did you just say?!”
Luke didn’t want to admit what he had caused, so he just kept bragging. “What you’ve just heard — even the honourable and respected Heroine of Mondstadt knows that the Fatui are more worth it than you. That’s why she prefers to be in a Harbinger’s bed instead of taking care of Mondstadt.”
“Alright, you’ve crossed the line!” Huffman yelled, losing his cool after the Fatui’s offence damaged the Mondstadt Heroine’s reputation. “That counts like defamation and provocation, so…!” He stumped to approach the Fatui. The latter took an unconscious step back.
“If you don’t believe it, then do some research!” Luke yelled, trying to avoid a direct conflict. He didn’t have to be imprisoned for saying the truth. “Everyone in Liyue knows about it! They don’t even try to keep it a secret! They are the couple of the year!”
The mutterings’ intensity — which were almost unnoticeable before — increased quickly. The Knights and the Fatui didn’t notice that little by little the numbers of listeners had risen.
Seeing Aramis and Huffman’s troubled expressions, Luke smiled mockingly.
“If you asked me, I’d say she seemed really proud of being Master’s Tartaglia’s mistress; she's even called ‘Lady’ by other Fatui.”
The Knights of Favonius looked down on him. “If you are lying, you’ll pay for it…”
They threaten him before turning back and leaving. They shouted to the spectators to get out of there and to ignore what they’d heard.
Luke couldn’t help but feel proud after winning that little argument, and at the same time, the fear of being accused of revealing a Harbinger’s affair made his blood go cold. The Hotel’s gate opened, some of his peers leaned out the gate and asked him — shocked and doubtful — if what they had heard was true. At least, Luke didn’t have to make an effort to hide the truth.
That night, while the moon reached its zenith point and the Honorary Knight rested in the Harbinger’s arms, almost everyone in The City of Freedom picked up on the scandalous rumour.