Sky Mesa silk & stone

Machi took the bundle slower perhaps than it was given, the confusion that initially clouded his expression gave way to a grave, somber understanding. This was not a camping trip—it was a farewell. The weight of it settled heavily in his chest.

He remained silent, allowing Khusobek and Safiya their moment of goodbye without intrusion. Yet, when "The man. Soto." was mentioned, the dog’s ears pricked forward with keen interest. The name was unfamiliar, and it sparked his interest. The explanation that followed, however, ignited more than curiosity. Slowly, steadily, the cold focus of his attention boiled into fury.

Courtship. A child. Courtship.

The thought pounded through Machi’s mind, repeating with mounting intensity. A face formed in the shadows of his memory—golden and silver with predatory eyes of hawkish gold. It took every ounce of control to keep his expression neutral, the quartz calm of his features betraying nothing. Yet behind the statued exterior, the fractured glass of his eyes glinted with a promise of violence. His lip curled slightly— a pleasant smile to further mask the hatred burning beneath it. It will be done, Captian. A promise.

After that, he fell silent once more. Machi’s brow furrowed as his gaze drifted to the girl, small and fragile in this moment, teetering on the edge of tears. Something buried stirred within him at the sight—something he thought long dead. Wordlessly, he turned his head, granting them a moment of privacy.

But even as he did, his thoughts burned with the image of the face. If the man still drew breath by the time Machiavelli returned to the Blue Palace, he would soon wish he didn’t.