Vanya crossed to a small drawer near the entrance and returned with a single key, pressing it into Persephone's palm without ceremony.
"For the gate," she said. "Harold and I reinforced the stairwell and elevator access to this floor. This gets you through both if you're ever locked out or need to leave in a hurry."
Persephone turned the key over in her fingers, something steadying settling in her chest at the simple, practical weight of it. "Thank you. Genuinely." She looked up. "I know I panicked yesterday, when I first woke up. I want you to know I understand what's actually happening now. This isn't a nightmare I'm going to wake up from. I get it."
Vanya studied her for a moment, something like approval flickering behind her composed expression. "Good. Panic is useful for exactly as long as it takes to process the threat. After that, it just gets in the way."
"I've had a little time to sit with it," Persephone said. "It helps, knowing my family's on their way back to me."
