My body tensed.
I was still frozen mid-step, my breath slow, controlled—but my mind raced.
"You're a kind man, Reynard."
The words resounded in my mind, a warning chime growing louder with each second that ticked by.
I didn't mention my name.
I hadn't given any hints.
And still, this individual—this alleged homeless individual—recognized my identity.
I turned back to him, moving closer, my stance adjusting a bit. Ready.
Ready for a battle, should it come to that.
"You're familiar with me," I stated, my tone cautious and deliberate.
The man did not react. He just smiled—a tiny, aware expression. "Certainly."
His casual response sent a wave of unease rolling down my spine.
I took another step forward.
"How?"
The street lamp blinked overhead. A vehicle drove by in the distance, its headlights creating elongated shadows on the brick wall.
