|Theodore|
I pulled one of our companions aside and gave him quiet but urgent instructions. He was to leave ahead of us, back to the Eastern Territory, and deliver a message directly to Damien.
It wasn’t just a matter of courtesy—it was necessary.
We were returning not as we had left, but with sixteen outsiders in our company: fifteen unconscious children and Julie, still fragile from what Gracia had done to her. If we showed up unannounced at Damien’s gates, marching past his border patrol with foreign bodies in tow, the consequences could be unpredictable.
Even with good intentions, a misstep like that could spark unnecessary tension—fear, suspicion, maybe even resistance. And Damien's people were nothing if not loyal and territorial.
I knew Damien well enough to trust his judgment,
