Ethan met the Captain in the main courtyard, where the morning sun glinted off the polished obsidian tiles. The Captain didn't say a word about Ethan's renewed aura, though his sharp eyes lingered for a second on the boy's steady hands and the crystalline depth of his amethyst eyes.
"You look... refreshed," the Captain remarked dryly, before reaching into his cloak. He pulled out a sleek, silver mask etched with intricate gold filigree. "Put this on. From this moment until we return, you do not have a face."
Ethan took the cold metal, turning it over in his hands. "Is this really necessary?"
