Akira's POV
The corridor outside the main assignment hall was crowded when the hunter stopped me. I did not know his name. He wore a field jacket and carried a tablet under one arm. His tone stayed even and almost casual.
"Are you and Vixar together?"
The question landed harder than it should have. I kept my face calm and gave the answer that felt safest.
"We work together."
He tilted his head. "That's not what people are saying."
He walked on without waiting for more. I stood still for a moment while the flow of hunters moved around me. Then I turned and found a quiet corner near the old storage stairs where the noise stayed low.
I leaned against the wall and let the words settle. People were talking. The pairing had drawn eyes for weeks. My name sat beside Kael's on mission lists that did not match the rank on my file. The council note he added had slowed the formal questions. It had not stopped the informal ones.
