Lukas listened to Melody's footsteps move down the hall, then swung his legs over the side of the bed.
The groan came low out of his mouth as he pushed himself upright, his injuries registering their objection in detail. He stood there for a moment, letting everything settle, then followed her out.
He arrived at the living room doorway just as Melody opened the front door.
The man outside was older, looking somewhere in his sixties, with a neat grey beard.
He had the kind of calm and easygoing bearing that came from decades of being called to difficult situations and expected to fix them.
Slung over his shoulder was a worn leather bag, and his rank, visible to any Awakener who could feel his aura, placed him at C-rank.
The same rank as Lukas.
"Good morning," Melody said. "Thank you for coming back."
"Of course." The man's eyes moved past her and found Lukas standing in the hallway. They lit up immediately.
