The enforcer watched her too. His face gave nothing away, but his stillness sharpened.
So he’d noticed.
By the end of the hour, we had agreed to three framework revisions, postponed two points to the state dinner, and avoided the inspection fight with everyone’s dignity technically intact.
A success, by any external measure.
Internally, I’d spent sixty minutes trying not to challenge the Ashenmere enforcer, or ask Catalina Cordero whether she had any idea what a mess she was making of me.
I was tired.This was offensive. I’d flown across oceans with less effort.
The meeting concluded. Chairs moved. Papers gathered. Staff stood.
Catalina stepped back from Yuki’s shoulder. The enforcer moved before anyone else did, directly into the path between her and the dispersing delegates.
It was very nearly invisible. Excellent work, really. If I hadn’t been trying not to look at either of them for the better part of an hour, I might’ve missed it.
I didn’t miss it. Neither did Catalina. Her eyes went to his shoulder. Then to me.
Inventory again.
I found myself smiling.
That, too, was unwise.
Bjorn caught my sleeve as the room began to empty. “Don’t,” he said.
“I haven’t yet decided what I’m not doing.”
“That’s the problem.”
I looked toward the door. Catalina was gone. The enforcer was gone with her.
I exhaled through my nose.
“Trade went well,” I said.
Bjorn looked at me. “Rhain.”
“Yes?”
“You made a disaster of a clause you wrote because a woman looked at you.”
“That’s an ungenerous summary.”
“It’s an accurate one.”
“I also recovered the clause.”
“You did.”
“So really, the system works.”
Bjorn stared at me for a moment and then closed his folder. “I’m tooold for this.”
“I have been saying that since I was fourteen.”
He sighed.