Finally, Rynath broke the silence, her voice still carrying that nervous edge but slightly more composed.

"Do you... do you go for walks often?"

The question was innocuous, probably her trying to make conversation.

She was trying to learn more about him in a way that felt natural.

Jack glanced at her, noting how she was carefully not making direct eye contact, how her hands moved in subtlety.

{She's trying! Engage with her! Show interest!}

"Sometimes," Jack replied, his tone neutral but not hostile. "When the barracks get too crowded. Or when I need to think about something."

It wasn't entirely a lie. He did need space to think sometimes.

"That makes sense," Rynath said quickly, almost eagerly. "The barracks can be... overwhelming. So many demons, so much noise. It's hard to find peace."

{She's relating to you! This is good! Build on this!}

"You must have your own space," Jack observed. "As a general. Somewhere quiet."

Rynath nodded, seeming to relax slightly as the conversation found its rhythm.

"I do. But sometimes even that feels confined. Like the walls are closing in. Do you ever feel that way?"

The question carried more weight than simple small talk.

She was trying to understand him, to find common ground, to see if they shared experiences beyond just serving in Pho's fortress.

{PERFECT OPENING! Share something! Create emotional connection! Ask to see her bed!!!}

Jack considered his response carefully.

Too much vulnerability and it would seem false. Too little and he'd shut down the conversation entirely.

"The fortress is a cage," he said finally. "Well-decorated, but still a cage. Everyone here is trapped in their own way. Some just don't realize it yet."

It was more honest than he'd intended, the words carrying a truth that applied to both his cover story and his actual situation.

Rynath's eyes widened slightly, her serpentine gaze finally meeting his for more than a moment.

"That's..." she started, then stopped, seeming to choose her words carefully. "That's very perceptive. Most demons here just accept things as they are. They don't think about what else might be possible."

{SHE'S OPENING UP! THIS IS EXCELLENT PROGRESS!}

The fortress was growing closer now, its massive walls becoming more distinct against the crimson sky.

But for this moment, walking across the frozen wasteland with a demon general who apparently had a crush on him, Jack found himself in a situation he'd never anticipated when planning this infiltration.

{Ask her something! Keep the conversation going! Don't let this momentum die!}

But before Jack could decide whether to follow Oscar's advice or maintain his distance, they reached the outer perimeter of the fortress.

Guards watched from the walls and the moment of relative privacy was ending.

Rynath slowed her pace slightly, seeming reluctant to return to the fortress,

{Say something before she leaves! Promise to walk with her again! Suggest meeting up! ANYTHING!}

Jack looked at Rynath, noting how she was clearly waiting for something, some indication of whether this walk had meant anything or if it was just a random encounter that would be forgotten by morning.

Jack turned slightly to face Rynath, meeting her gaze, his red eyes visible through his visor.

"I'll see you in two days," he said, his flat voice carrying across the small distance between them. "When I shadow you."

It wasn't romantic. It wasn't particularly warm. But it was a promise of future interaction, an acknowledgment that he'd be there, that this wouldn't be their last encounter.

Rynath's expression shifted immediately, her scaled features showing visible relief.

It looked like his words got her excited.

Her posture relaxed, the tension draining from her shoulders as she processed his words.

"Two days," she repeated, as if confirming it to herself. "Yes. When you shadow me. I'll... I'll show you what I do. How intelligence gathering works. It's fascinating, really, once you understand the patterns..."

She was rambling slightly, her usual composed demeanor cracking under the weight of her nervousness and relief.

But underneath it all, there was genuine happiness that he hadn't rejected her presence, hadn't pushed her away.

'He didn't dismiss me,' Rynath thought as she watched him. 'He could have told me to leave him alone. Could have made it clear he wasn't interested. But he gave me a specific time. That means he wants to see me again.'

The realization sent a flutter through her chest that she hadn't felt in... she couldn't remember how long.

Decades? Centuries? Demons didn't usually experience attraction like this. Most relationships in the fortress were based on power, convenience, or simple physical need.

But this felt different.

Jakar was different.

Strong, confident, unafraid of the generals or even Pho himself.

He'd killed two Dread-rank demons without hesitation, wielded a cursed weapon that should be impossible for any demon to touch, and carried himself with a certainty that suggested he knew exactly what he was capable of.

'Two days,' she thought again, unable to suppress the small smile that curved her lips. 'I can wait two days.'

"I'll see you then," she said, her voice steadier now, some of her usual confidence returning. "Two days, Jakar."

She turned and walked toward the fortress, heading toward the sections where the generals maintained their quarters.

Her steps were lighter than they'd been earlier, and if anyone had been paying close attention, they might have noticed the slight sway in her hips.

Jack watched her go, his expression unchanged behind his helmet.

The moment she was out of earshot, Oscar exploded.

{YOU FUMBLED THAT SO BADLY!}

'What?'

{What?! WHAT?! You're lucky she didn't walk away from that disaster! "I'll see you in two days"? That's it?! That's your big romantic gesture?!}

'She seemed satisfied with it.'

{She was RELIEVED you didn't reject her! There's a difference! You gave her the absolute bare minimum acknowledgment and she was so nervous she took it as a victory! Do you have ANY idea how romance works?!}

'Not particularly.'

{CLEARLY! You should have complimented her! Told her you enjoyed the walk! Suggested meeting before the two days! Something that showed actual interest instead of just... scheduling an appointment like she's a business meeting!}

'It worked, didn't it? She's happy. The manipulation angle is established. I can leverage this for information.'

{That's not... you're impossible! You accidentally stumbled into keeping her interested through sheer incompetence and you're acting like it was planned!}

'Wasn't it?'

{NO! A planned approach would have shown actual emotional intelligence! You just gave her a time and walked away! The fact that it worked is pure luck and her being so attracted to you that she's overlooking your complete lack of social skills!}

Jack said nothing, moving through the fortress toward the barracks.

Other demons noticed him passing, their conversations quieting as they stepped aside to give him room.

{You need to do better next time. I'm serious. If you want to actually use this to your advantage, you need to engage with her properly. Show interest. Make her feel special. Otherwise, she's going to realize you're just going through the motions.}

'Roger that.'

{You're not taking this seriously.}

'I'm taking it exactly as seriously as it needs to be taken. She's attracted to me. I can use that. But I'm not going to pretend to be something I'm not just to make her feel better about it.'

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