“Really?” The girl’s eyes lit up like fireworks the moment Rain gave his nod.“Yeah,” he muttered, voice flat. “Doesn’t seem like I’ve got much of a choice.”He turned toward the elder’s counter without waiting for a response.“What’s your name?” she called, trailing after him.“I’m Scarlett,” she added quickly, before he could say anything.Rain paused mid-step and turned, gaze dragging over her like he was scanning a puzzle he didn’t ask to solve. “Rain,” he said simply.He didn’t like talkers. Didn’t trust people who filled silence just because they couldn’t stand it. And if he had any better options, he wouldn’t have picked her but she was the only one who asked, and that said something.They reached the counter where an elder sat hunched, all beard and wrinkles and a face that looked carved from old stone. The man barely looked up.“I’d like to accept this mission,” Rain said, placing the scroll on the table.The elder’s voice was gravel. “You got a teammate?”Rain nodded toward