Celine did not ask whether she was going.
She was waiting in one of the palace courtyards before Ludwig even sent word.
Her hair was tied back, armor fitted beneath a travel cloak, and her blade rested at her hip. She looked calmer than she had in the dungeon, but the memory of that room still sat somewhere behind her eyes. When Ludwig approached, her gaze moved over him first, checking for wounds that were no longer there, then to Kaiser, who walked beside him like a bad idea given legs.
"You took too long," she said.
"I was being responsible."
Celine looked at Kaiser. "Was he?"
"No," Kaiser said.
"Traitor."
Celine ignored him and looked back at Ludwig. "North?"
"North."
"Sloth?"
"Scouting first. Fighting if things go badly."
"So fighting."
"Hopefully."
She nodded as if that was exactly what she had expected. "Good."
