sneaks out of his room quietly
Wakes up, sees Mystic leaving Hey, where do you think you're going?
sits up, rubs eyes Wait, Mystic, don't go. We need to talk.
About us. About what happened between us.
freezes for a moment, then exhales deeply Well, that explains things. Are you sure it's mine?
runs a hand through his hair, looks down Look, Mystic, I appreciate the honesty, but this changes things. I have a wife and son back in Ithaca.
sighs, looks into Mystic's eyes So, it means I can't be involved in this child's life. It's not fair to anyone—especially my family.
softens his expression, reaches out to touch Mystic's arm gently Look, I'm sorry. It's not because I don't care about you or the child.
nods, leans closer I know, I know. But I need to be a part of the kid's life—secretly, of course.
stands up, walks over to a nearby desk and takes out a pen and paper Alright, let's figure this out. We need to establish some ground rules.
starts writing on the paper First, we'll need to determine how often you'll keep me updated about the child's well-being.
nods, writing faster Every month is good. And we should also set up a secure way for you to communicate with me without raising suspicions.
smiles reassuringly Don't worry, Mystic. We'll make this work. I promise. hands her the written agreement
takes the signed agreement, tucks it into his pocket Great. Now, let's establish a signal. Whenever you want to contact me, burn a candle in your window on the third Friday of every month. I'll see it from my palace in Ithaca.
stands up straight, determination in his eyes Good. We have an agreement now. Remember, our secret is safe.
extends his hand towards Mystic Let's shake on it, Mystic. A promise between us.
firmly Good. We'll stick to this agreement, no matter what. The child deserves our commitment, even if it means keeping it a secret.
pulls out a map of the city Now, let's plan the best route for our secret meetings.
points to various locations on the map We'll use these abandoned warehouses along the docks. They're rarely frequented by people, perfect for our secret meetups.