Chapter 4 - Shadows Across the Tiles
Shen did not flinch, but his breathing shifted immediately into the slow, deliberate rhythm of combat readiness. He placed a gentle hand over Leo’s small shoulder, subtly shifting the boy behind his torso as the two men approached the counter without ordering anything. The taller man, scarred along his left cheekbone, leaned against the glass display, letting his coat fall open just enough to reveal the concealed hilt of a weighted baton. The unspoken hostility turned the cozy room instantly stifling.
Elena shrank into the vinyl booth, pulling her jacket tight around herself, realizing she had inadvertently led danger directly to her child. Shen stood up with liquid grace, his silk uniform making no sound against the chair. He addressed the men in a low, measured tone, offering them an exit before the harbor guards noticed their presence. The scarred man smirked, his eyes flickering past Shen to the terrified child. ""Julian’s debts don't die with him, old man,"" he murmured, his fingers twitching toward his weapon.
