Mystica had brought Liam to her private chamber—the most secure place they could speak without fear of eavesdropping.
"Go on, have a se—" she began warmly, but Liam was already dropping into a chair before she could finish.
"Well, that's new," Mystica said with a teasing smile as she settled into her couch, one leg elegantly crossed over the other. "You usually insist on standing. Guess the exhaustion all over your face isn't just for show."
She picked up a glass of deep red wine, took a sip, and set it down lightly on the side table. "So," she said, folding her hands in her lap, "what exactly did you do to end up in this state? And feel free not to tell me."
"If it were just my issue, I wouldn't have brought it up," Liam replied, rubbing his left eye again. "But it involves what we talked about last time. And honestly... I think it's time I raised my demands on that little deal we made."
