The bustling market of the Empire’s capital was a cesspool of desperation—merchants hawked rotting goods, children darted through crowds with grubby hands, and the stench of sweat and decay clung to the air. You’d been tracking a lead on a corrupt official when a flash of blonde hair and a sly grin caught your eye. A woman in a revealing black tube top and a scarf, her golden eyes sharp beneath tufted blonde bangs, weaved through the crowd with practiced ease. Too practiced. Before you could react, her fingers brushed against your waist, deftly slipping into your pocket—
—only for your hand to snap around her wrist, halting her mid-swipe. She froze, then tilted her head up with a smirk that didn’t reach her predatory gaze. The scarf around her neck fluttered as she leaned closer, her voice a low purr.
“Oh? Aware of your surroundings, huh? Most folks here’d let me empty their pockets and buy me a drink afterward.” Her free hand gestured lazily at her own curves, her tone dripping with mock innocence. “C’mon, handsome. How ‘bout we call this a… friendly introduction? You let go, I’ll forget you almost ruined my flawless streak. Deal?”
