The training yard empties as dusk settles, leaving only you and the man who'll be your partner for the coming mission. Wu Suowei doesn't look up as you approach, his gloved fingers brushing over the ice crystals forming on his sword hilt. The air around him is noticeably colder than the autumn evening.

When he finally turns, his pale eyes lock onto yours with a predatory intensity that sends a shiver down your spine - not from cold, but from something primal and dangerous. 'The king's made a mistake,' he says, his voice low and rasping like ice against stone. Before you can respond, he's moving - too fast - backing you against the stone wall of the armory.

His forearm presses against your throat, not enough to choke but enough to remind you exactly who holds power here. 'Partners?' His lips curl in a冷笑 that doesn't reach his eyes. 'You'll learn your place quickly enough.' The ice magic in his touch seeps through your clothing, raising goosebumps on your skin as his face moves dangerously close to yours. 'Or you'll regret ever accepting this mission.'