A few days after the mock battle, Presea found herself scanning the bookshelves in the library. Her eyes were bouncing from book spine to book spine as her hand trailed across them. She grew frustrated as she couldn't locate a single book about her race. This wasn't her first time searching for a book about Pterolykoses, but she kept visiting the library in hopes a new book would appear on the shelves that would contain the answers to her questions. Being the last of her kind and losing her family before she was five, she never got the chance to learn about her people.

"Ah, Lady Presea," a kind, gravely voice greeted her.

She turned around and smiled at the person. "Good morning, Tomas. Any luck with my request?"

The librarian shook his head with a sorrowful frown. "I must apologize, Lady Presea. Our library is lacking in books regarding Pterolykoses. Though, I will keep searching."

The girl smiled kindly at the man. "No need to apologize. I appreciate your help, Tomas." She thanked him before grabbing the only book she knew contained a legend of her race. She sat down at a table and read through the legend for the hundredth time. She nearly had the entire story memorized word from word due to how many times she's read it. What she loved the most were the illustrations of Pterolykoses. Her memory is fuzzy and she has difficulty remembering what her parents looked like, but the images helped her imagine their appearance.

The one thing Presea does remember vividly is the people who slaughtered her family and entire village. They were suppossed to be priests, but the magic they used was dark and powerful. Their attire consisted of red robes and black masks that concealed their faces. She even asked Lady Rhea after she enrolled if she knew a group with such an appearance, but she did not.

What Presea wanted to know the most was why her people were targeted, but she still couldn't find an answer. While her myriads of questions bounced around inside her head, she was reminded of the day Claude saved her life. She remembered how much pain she was in as she lied in the streets of Almyra, her blood tainting her multi-colored fur. Most importantly, she remembered how gentle Claude held her in his arms that day twelve years ago. She never thought someone would come to her rescue and she would've bled to death. She was fortunate Claude found her in time before she met such a gruesome fate. What bewildered her the most was how quickly she'd grown attach to him. When she tried to leave, he didn't even allow her room to protest against staying. Now, they were practically inseparable.

"Hey," a voice snapped Presea out of her thoughts. She lifted her head, peering across the table and spotting the only boy that had been filling her mind at the time. "You've been coming to the library every morning ever since we came to the monastery. You still looking for, well..."

She nodded, her eyes returning back to the illustration of a Pterolykos in the book below. "Yes. I'm also trying to find any information about my race in general. Morosely, the church's library is lacking in knowledge, as well." Her finger traced the image of the winged wolf with a melancholic sigh. "I was hoping the Church of Seiros would have the answers I seek since they truly do believe Pterolykoses were messengers of the goddess. If that is true, who would hunt down my people and slaughter them?"

"Even the goddess has people who hate her," Claude responds. "There are even people who despise the goddess so much, they'll even kill innocence. I know you want answers, Presea, but maybe you won't find them here."

Presea closed the book and stared down at the cover. "You might be right, Claude." She lifted her gaze and stared deeply into his jade eyes. "You don't believe in the goddess, but do you believe that Pterolykoses could've been her divine messengers?"

Claude leaned back in the seat, both hands resting atop the table. "Honestly, I kind of do. But there's also a part of me that doesn't. Regardless if I believe in the goddess or not, I can't dismiss what I've seen with my own eyes. Your magic is incredible, Pres, and I definitely would hate to be your enemy. I wouldn't want to be caught on the opposite end of one of your spells. Or fangs. You literally snapped a lance in half as if it were a twig."

She grinned at his response. "Well, I am a wolf. Sharp fangs come with the territory." Grabbing the book, she stood up and returned it to the bookshelf. As she returned to the table, she spotted Byleth entering the library. He approached her and Claude, informing them of the mission at the end of the month.

Claude shook his head with a sigh. "More bandits? Not very original, Teach."

"You need to focus," Byleth scoldingly stated.

"Well, as long as you and Presea are with us, at least things won't be boring. In fact... It may take a turn for the interesting."

Byleth shook his head. "Presea will remain at the monastery."

"What?" Said girl gasped. "But, the mock battle..."

"I'm sorry, Presea," the professor said with a hint of sorrow in his tone.

She clenched her fists by her sides and bit the inside of her cheek. She knew this wasn't Byleth's decision and didn't want to snap at him because of what Lady Rhea decided. She exhaled a shaky breath, turning her back to her best friend and professor. "Fine..." She left the library, ignoring Claude as he called out her name.

<——————<<<<<

Presea skipped the lecture, spending the next few hours alone near the Goddess Tower. She stared up at the sky, watching the ivory clouds above sail through the sea of blue.

She was soon joined by Marianne, who had been worried about her since she skipped class. "Are you all right, Presea?"

The snowy-haired girl looked over at her shy friend. "I'm fine, Marianne. Just...feeling a little down, that's all."

Marianne sat next to Presea, cupping her hands in her lap. While she was normally a meek person, she found herself comfortable in the presence of the younger girl. "Did... Did something happen?"

"The professor told me and Claude about our next mission. But, Lady Rhea has ordered me to remain at the monastery while the rest of you handle the bandits."

"Oh, Presea, I'm so sorry." Marianne stares down at her hands. "You did amazing during the mock battle."

"You've nothing to apologize for," she smiles. "I was hoping to prove myself to Lady Rhea, but it seems I still need to be protected in her eyes."

"I know I can't do much, but how about a cup of tea?" Marianna offered with a meek smile.

Presea nodded, a warm smile etched across her face. "I'd like that very much."

The two girls left the Goddess Tower and headed to the courtyard located by the dining hall. Marianne picked out the tea leaves while Presea arranged a tier of sweets for them to enjoy on the side.

They sat down at one of the tables in the courtyard and enjoyed the freshly brewed tea and sweet treats. They exchanged small talk as they fancied each other's company.

Eventually, they finished their tea and desserts, but their conversation was still in full swing. The two girls giggled as they discussed their classmates and new professor.

When their teatime ended, Presea thanked Marianne from the bottom of her heart. It was thanks to her that her mood was lifted and her dilemmas were set aside for the time being.

The two friends went their separate ways. Presea wandered through the courtyard and toward the greenhouse. She had planted a few seeds earlier last month and wanted to check on them. When she entered the greenhouse, it was empty. She found her flowers, which were blooming into beautiful dahlias. She sat on her knees in front of the flowers, admiring them as their petals were a magnificent violet with a hint of turquoise and gold. "Well, at least they're healthy."

Another person had entered the greenhouse, their eyes trained on her. Presea felt their piercing gaze and looked over her shoulder. Once again, it was Jeritza. His white and red mask obscured half of his face, but she wondered why he wore it at all. The same feeling she felt when he talked to her at the fishing pond last month returned. She tried to push the eerie feeling aside as she addressed him. "Oh, Jeritza. What brings you here?"

"Nothing..." He muttered loud enough for her to hear.

She knew he was lying, but she didn't call his bluff. "Well, um...I would love to have some tea with you sometime. I'm afraid it can't be today for I've already spent my teatime with Marianne. How about at a later date?"

"Yes..."

With that, Jeritza left.

She watched him leave the greenhouse and saw another silhouette walking through the doors. It was Claude. He sighed in relief once he saw her. "Finally. I've been looking all over for you. Marianne told me you were in the courtyard, but when I got there, you were already gone."

She looked away from him, eyes downcast as she looked at the dahlias. She placed her hands in her lap, squeezing them tightly together. "Am I useless?"

Claude's eyes widen in disbelief. He knew exactly why she thought such a way, but it still caught him by surprise. He kneeled beside her, noticing the dahlias. "Far from it. You know Lady Rhea's only doing this to keep you safe. It's not because you're useless, Presea."

"Well, it sure feels that way," she mumbled, getting to her feet. "She knows my abilities and yet, she refuses to allow me to help on missions. I'm even willing to stand on the sidelines and provide support. I just... I just want to help. I don't want to stay behind knowing you and the others will be in danger."

Claude picked one of the blue columbines that were in full bloom and stood up. He twirled the flower between his fingers before pushing a few ivory strands behind Presea's ear and placing it in her hair. "To be honest, I rather you stay behind so I know you're safe. But there's another part of me that wishes you were by my side 24/7."

Presea nibbles on her bottom lip, deciding to express her unease about Jeritza. "There's something I need to tell you."

Claude, being a few inches taller, looked down at her. He was curious at the sudden subject change. "What is it?"

She glanced past him, seeing the greenhouse doors were closed. She inhaled deeply before expressing her fears. "Recently, Jeritza has been acting stranger than usual."

The boy's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "How so?"

"The night after the celebration of our victory in the mock battle, he approached me on the pier and told me we should have tea sometime. And before you showed up, he was here with me. Whenever he comes around, a chill creeps down my spine and...it feels like he's following me around the monastery. Between the battlefield and the monastery, I would feel safer on the battlefield." She grabbed his hands in hers, squeezing them gently. "I'm going to tell Lady Rhea of Jeritza's recent behavior, and hopefully convince her to let me tag along on the upcoming mission." Releasing his hands, she storms out of the greenhouse and to the audience chamber.

<—————<<<<<

Presea gritted her teeth in anger. After a lengthy discussion with Lady Rhea and Seteth, she couldn't change their minds even after mentioning Jeritza's strange behavior. They simply dismissed her, ignoring the rest of what she had to say. She grumbled curses under her breath as she made her way to her room.

Throwing the door open out of frustration, she immediately slammed it shut once she entered her room. Luckily for her, Lysithea, who's room was next to hers, was in the reception hall at the moment. She threw herself onto her bed, curled up on her side, and stared at the desk that was located on the opposite side of the room. She closed her eyes, trying to calm down and keep her anger at bay.

Just as she was about to doze off due to her lack of sleep recently, knuckles rasped against the door. She gave the person permission to enter and was greeted by a grinning Hilda. "Hey, Pressy, just wanted to check on you since you skipped class. Claude may or may not've told me the reason why."

Presea pushes her body upward, throwing her legs over the side of the bed with a huff. "Lady Rhea knows my potential, but refuses to acknowledge it. That duel with Hanneman was nothing more than a way for her to make sure I am in control of my abilities. Nothing more, nothing less."

"By that attitude, I'm going to assume you tried talking to Lady Rhea already and she didn't budge on her decision," Hilda sighed, sitting beside her fellow classmate.

"I'm not a student," Presea scoffed. "I'm a prisoner."

"Well, what if you were to sneak away for a little while?" The fuchsia-haired girl shrugged her shoulders. "But, you didn't hear it from me."

"You want me to sneak out of the monastery?"

"Technically, I didn't say that."

Presea laughed at Hilda's response. "Of course, you didn't."

"And second of all, Claude always gets kind of mopey when you're not around. It's weird how your absence changes his mood. Are you sure you two really aren't dating?"

The younger girl rolled her eyes. "We're not dating, Hilda. He's my best friend."

"Hmm..." Hilda stared into her eyes, checking to see if she was telling the truth. When she saw she was, she sighed. "Well, that's no fun. Or maybe it's one-sided and Claude is hopelessly in love with you!"

Presea peered into her friend's eyes. "You're serious, aren't you?"

Hilda nodded. "A hundred percent!"

Another eye-roll. "Doubt it."

She then spotted the blue columbine in Presea's ivory locks and blinked with wide eyes. "A blue flower? Who gave that to you?"

"Claude did," she answers honestly, seeing no point in hiding the truth.

The older girl groaned. "You really have no idea what a blue flower represents, do you?"

"No, why should—?"

"Oh, it's nothing!" Hilda flew to her feet and rushed out of the room with a prompt, "Bye!"

Presea removed the blue columbine from her hair and placed it on her desk before throwing herself against the mattress once the door clicked shut behind the warrior. She adjusted her body to get comfortable before deciding to sleep regardless of knowing it was still early.

<—————<<<<<

When Presea woke up the next morning, she was shocked to discover how long she'd been asleep. She had slept through dinner and the entire night. It was the weekend and she wondered what the professor had in store for the class. She left the dormitory and headed to the Golden Deer classroom. When she saw them preparing to leave, her mood dampened. "Training, huh?" She whispered. For her, that meant she'd be stuck inside the monastery without any friends whatsoever.

"Oh, hey, Presea!" Raphael bellowed in his usual cheerful tone when he spotted her standing in the doorway. His shout caused all eyes to fall upon her. She tried to smile at her fellow students and professor, but the corners of her mouth twitched upward for a few seconds before drooping. She didn't greet any of them as she spun on her heels and walked away. Her classmates and professor didn't deserve the cold shoulder, but she was an emotional wreck even after listening to Marianne, Claude, and Hilda.

Presea shuffled through the grass, passing by other students. She heard multiple sets of footsteps pursuing her but ignored them as she transformed and took to the sky. Claude, Ignatz, and Leonie begged her to stop, but she refused to listen.

Knowing she couldn't leave the monastery, Presea flew to the fishing pond. She sat on the edge of the pier, her long tail dangling off the side. She stared down into the pond, watching the various fish swim by. Some tried to nip at her tail out of curiosity, but it was too high for them to reach.

"Presea?" A gentle voice called out to her. She peered behind her and saw Flayn. While they shared a close bond, their was a familiar air and scent that surrounded the sweet girl. It's the same scent as Lady Rhea and Seteth, but she also smelt it when she first met Byleth. She couldn't describe the scent with words, but it brought a strange serenity to her.

Flayn joined Presea with a smile on her face. She sat beside the Pterolykos and also watched the fish swim by. "Oh, I just love this place! The fish are amazing!"

Hearing Flayn speak so jubilantly about the aquatic creatures made her smile mentally. While it was difficult to show in her current form, she felt relieved and calm with the girl. Slowly, she lowered her body against the pier and placed her head in Flayn's lap. Her long, elegant tail curled around her and the girl as she closed her eyes when she felt a hand gently glide across her fur.

"I understand how you feel, Presea," Flayn said, shattering the silence between them. "Being confined to the monastery is torture, especially when you know the people you care about are facing danger without you."

Presea's ears perked up, surprised at how Flayn knew exactly what she was feeling and why. She kept her head in the girl's lap, enjoying her gentle touch. "I've dreamt of joining the Officers Academy, but my brother forbade it."

The Pterolykos knew how protective Seteth was of his sister and didn't blame him, but she felt Lady Rhea's treatment toward her was unfair. She had every right to fight alongside her friends and professor. She was capable of powerful magic, but the archbishop refused to acknowledge the fact she could help on the battlefield all because of her race. She felt useless, which was a feeling she abhorred.

Presea prayed to the goddess in hopes Lady Rhea would see her potential one of these days and allow her to accompany the Golden Deer into battle.

<—————<<<<<<

The sun was setting, the sky painted a beautiful tint of orange and red. Presea stared up at the sky from the bridge connecting the reception hall to the cathedral. She was still in her wolf form, which wasn't unusual. There were times where she'd remain as a Pterolykos for hours upon hours or even a few days.

A few students from the Black Eagles and Blue Lions provided her company throughout the day, which she was grateful for, but she missed Claude and the other members of the Golden Deer.

Lost in thought, she didn't realize the one person she was thinking about was standing a few feet behind her until he spoke up. "You really enjoy your disappearing acts, don't you?" Claude snickered. Presea growled in disapproval before standing on all fours and trying to walk around him. He stepped in her way, preventing her from leaving. "Just hear me out, Princess."

Presea glared up at Claude before sitting directly in front of him. He smiled once seeing she would listen to him, kneeling in front of her and watching as her crystalline eyes followed his every move. "I know I said this yesterday, but I want to make sure you know for certain you're not useless. So...yeah. I'm not good at this cheering up stuff, but maybe I'll get better at it...eventually."

Claude thought he did a terrible job when he saw Presea stand up and frowned. What he didn't expect was for her to close the distance between them and nuzzled her muzzle underneath his chin. Her frigid, wet nose brushed against his skin as he wrapped his arms around her neck. "Heh," he chuckled warmly at her sudden affection. "For someone who's down in the dumps, you're better at cheering people up."

Once the hug ended, Presea transformed and accepted Claude's offer of dining together for dinner. They headed to the dining hall, unbeknownst they were being followed.

<—————<<<<<

The day before the mission, the Golden Deer students were gathered in the entrance hall just as Byleth joined them. Claude greeted their professor with his usual cheerful, boisterous smile. "Hey, Teach. Glad you could make it. We've been waiting on you."

"It seems the knights have our foes cornered. They are in Zanado–the Red Canyon," Lorenz informed the professor.

"It's bandit time? That sounds like real knight work. Let's get to it!" Raphael chanted excitedly.

Leonie nodded in agreement. "I'm itching to put my skills to the test as well. We have to win so Captain Jeralt can see how much I've learned!"

Ignatz's eyebrows furrowed in bewilderment. "I thought Jeralt wasn't coming with us." He shook his head, deciding to remain on topic. "Either way, I'll give it everything I've got."

"Um... Even if I go, it's not like I'd be of any use..." Marianne softly confesses.

"Oh, Marianne, you don't realize how much your magic helps others," Presea said in an attempt to reassure the shy priestess. Marianne's cheeks turned slightly red after hearing her kind and encouraging words.

"Presea's right, Marianne," Lysithea said. "If we don't work together and give it our all, we are doomed to fail."

"You can be pretty intense sometimes, Lysithea. But I agree! Let's do our best!" Hilda motivates her fellow classmates.

"Everyone is so eager," Byleth comments.

"If we fight half as well as we chatter, we'll be fine," Claude grinned. "C'mon, Teach. Lead the way."

Presea remained rooted to the spot as the Golden Deer headed toward the market to buy the necessities they would need for tomorrow's battle. She remained at the top of the stairs, watching their backs. When they all stopped, including the professor, her eyes widened a fraction as they turned around and faced her.

"What're you doing, Pressy? C'mon!" Hilda shouted.

"It's better when we're all together," Ignatz said with a smile.

"Yeah!" Raphael bellowed. "Where's the fun in it if one of us is missing?"

"For once, I agree with him," Lorenz stated.

Presea's flabbergasted expression morphed into a beautiful smile. Her classmates smiled back as she made her way down the stairs and joined them. While it was only a fleeting moment of happiness, she would never trade the time for anything else.

<——————<<<<<<

The day of the mission, Presea walked to the entrance of the monastery alongside her fellow Golden Deer to see them off. Lady Rhea stood on the balcony above, watching closely. The young girl knew exactly why and refused to acknowledge the archbishop.

As they departed, she waved farewell and prayed for their safe return. Not far down the path leaving Garreg Mach, Claude turned around and offered her his usual charming smile before jogging to catch up with the others.

Once they were out of her line of sight, Presea left and headed to her room. She sat at her desk, thinking back to what Hilda said a few days ago. "Sneak away, huh?" With her mind made up, she left her room and searched for a secluded spot in the monastery. Fortunately for her, she found one behind the stables. Looking around, she made sure no students or knights were nearby before transforming and leaving the monastery.

Flying over the tall stone walls, Presea headed toward the Red Canyon. When she arrived, she saw the Golden Deer were already engaging the bandits. She flew higher up to avoid detection and circled around, landing on a plateau not far from the leader of the bandits, Kostas.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance when he spotted her companions. "The knights chased us all the way here?!"

A thief standing a few feet from Kostas yelled out in concern. "Chief, let's get out of here! There's no way we can win against them!"

"Shut your dumb mouth!" Kostas hissed, glaring at the man. "Where would we go at this point? You can't be a thief if you fear death!"

Presea dug her claws into the stone below, watching impatiently as her friends and professor fought against the bandits. Her troubles were eased when they decided to split off and surround Kostas and his remaining men. He couldn't believe they were approaching from two directions and ordered his men to attack without holding back.

Marianne and Lysithea used their magic, taking out a handful of thieves while Lorenz, Raphael, and Hilda used their weapons to get close and personal.

Claude and Byleth emerge from the West with Leonie and Ignatz. They dealt with the thieves, but what transpired next angered Presea.

While his men distracted Claude, Kostas left his position and stalked toward him. With his axe in his hand, he charged toward the unsuspecting Claude. He bellowed out a war cry, ready to swing and embed the sharp blade of his axe into the boy's back. "Sending these brats instead of the knights means they've underestimated me! Big mistake!"

Claude heard the shout and turned around, spotting Kostas a few feet away. He went to grab another arrow, but it was too late. He heard his classmates shout his name as they tried to rush over and save him. His emerald eyes widened as the glint of the curved blade caught his eye. He tried to act quick, but his movement was restricted due to the other thieves surrounding him.

When Kostas thought he'd be able to kill Claude with a single swing of his axe, he was wrong. A threatening snarl rang in his ears as he was tackled to the ground, resulting in him dropping his weapon.
He grunted in pain as he slowly opened his eyes, but he wanted to immediately close them again. He wound up staring into the piercing eyes of the Pterolykos, which sent a chill down his spine when he saw the bloodlust mixed in with the cerulean. "D-Damn mutt!"

Presea lashed out, sinking her sharp fangs into Kostas' shoulder. He screamed out in pain as blood dripped from between the winged wolf's teeth.

"Chief!" A thief shouted, running toward Kostas with a few more thieves in tow.

The Pterolykos unlatched her fangs from the man's shoulder and howled. The ground shook as the remaining thieves were caught up in a massive explosion.

When the smoke cleared, the only enemy alive was Kostas. He stared into Presea's eyes, a cold sweat overtaking his body. "W-What the hell are you?"

The wolf casted another spell, frying the man underneath her with lightning. She hopped off his body when she saw he was no longer breathing. Her heart was racing in her chest, examining the battlefield as she soaked in the destruction she caused. Nervously, she glanced over at Claude. When she saw a gentle smile on his face, she felt her entire body relax.

"We did it!" Hilda chanted, holding her axe in both hands.

"I think the victor here is Presea," Ignatz stated, his own excitement and relief showing. "That was amazing!"

Hilda dashed over and grinned at the Pterolykos. "So, you really did sneak out of the monastery! I'm a bad influence, aren't I?"

"If she hadn't, who knows what would've happened to Claude," Leonie said. "I think Presea has the right to join us on missions."

"That decision is for Lady Rhea to make," Byleth exclaimed, stepping toward Presea. He wore his usual stoic expression as he walked up to her.

Presea's ears flattened against her head, whining as she watched the professor approach her. Claude quickly called out to their instructor. "Hey, Teach. I think we can let this one slide, right?"

Byleth ignored Claude. He stood in front of Presea and knelt down, doing the opposite of what everyone was thinking he would do. He placed a hand on her head, stroking her silken fur. A rare smile appeared on his face as he petted her. "Thank you, Presea."

Her ears perked up and her tail wagged, showcasing her elation. The others couldn't see Byleth's smile or hear him, but they knew their professor wasn't scolding Presea by her body language.

"Does this mean we get to celebrate?" Raphael asked.

"Raphael..." Lysithea grumbled.

As they were leaving the Red Canyon, Byleth lingered behind. Presea noticed and remained with the professor. She knew she should return to the monastery as soon as possible since she wasn't supposed to be here in the first place, but she was curious as to what was wrong with the professor. She sat next to him, which he didn't seem to notice as his attention was elsewhere at the moment. When he started talking to himself, she grew concerned but remained by his side until they left.

<—————<<<<<

Presea arrived safely back at the monastery. She pretended to wait in her room until she left once hearing they returned. She headed to the entrance hall, spotting only Claude and Byleth.

"Hey, Teach," Claude began. "On the way back, you seemed transfixed by the canyon. Did something happen there?"

Byleth looked away, confessing the truth. "Actually...it felt familiar."

Claude was puzzled. "It seemed familiar to you? Huh. Can't say the same. Maybe it's a memory from when you were a child. Or from a past life."

Presea decided to announce her presence as she walked up the stairs to join them. "I don't think it's a memory." Both boys watched her as she approached. "When I first met you outside the monastery, there was a familiar scent resonating from you. I know this sounds strange, but Lady Rhea, Flayn, and Seteth all have the same scent as you. I'm not sure why it's familiar to me, but I hope to find that answer soon. And hopefully, it'll give you the answer you seek, as well."

"Regardless if it's a memory or something else, there's no need to dwell on it. I'll admit, there is something about that canyon that has me captivated, as well. How did Zanado come to be called the Red Canyon? Nothing there...was actually red..." Claude said.

"A war, perhaps?" Presea suggested. "I am curious, as well."

"I'll have to do my own research," Byleth stated. "For now, I must report to Lady Rhea."

"Hold on, Teach," Claude stopped the professor before he could leave. "You're not going to tell Lady Rhea about you-know-who, right?"

Byleth shook his head. "No. That will remain between us." He departed, leaving Claude and Presea behind.

When the professor was gone, Claude looked over at his best friend with a hand on his hip. "So, does everyone have a scent?"

The young girl nodded. "Yes. Everyone has a unique scent except for Lady Rhea, Seteth, Flayn, and our professor."

"Interesting..." Claude hummed, intrigued by her reply. "What's mine?"

"Yours is a mixture of pine and chamomile. After spending all these years with you, it's an easy scent to detect."

"And that's how you found me after meeting Teach for the first time," he grinned. "So, what does Lorenz—?"

Presea held up her hand to silence him. "I am not going to tell you everyone's scent, Claude."

He sighed, disappointed she saw right through him. "Well, it was worth a try."