Innocents. For someone who had a vested interest in protecting just such people, the dropped hint rang like a bell in Tsubaki’s head. What he meant, what she thought, and what the reality was could all very well be different things, however. She sucked in a silent breath, denying in her heart the rest of what he said before any words made it to her lips. Incentive and rewards weren’t what she wanted, not at all. Neither was punishment for the people around her. Nor the suffering of innocent people.

Fai, though, might have had a different idea, for he seemed to be making a serious answer. He wanted a part in the deal? To… bring back someone?

The calm before the storm, the wait just before the first strike, felt like it was coming closer to breaking.