Jax walked through the ruined streets with Maya by his side.
She looked scared. The kind of scared that came from knowing an entire army wanted her dead. But having her brother next to her pushed those thoughts away.
She wrapped both hands around his arm. Held on tight. Like she used to when they were kids walking through bad neighborhoods.
She waited for him to pat her head. Say something reassuring. Anything.
Nothing came.
She looked up at his face.
He was somewhere else entirely. Eyes distant. Mind working through something heavy.
Jax was calculating.
'I need to win this thing. No exceptions. No compromises.'
But winning wasn't enough. He also needed to keep Maya safe. Not captured. Not harmed. Not a single scratch on her.
The quest he received was still burning in his mind. He mentally trimmed it down to what mattered.
Failure two. Transmigration into that raisin-dicked man. Forever.
