Sobei swallowed a hiss and pressed her cut proleg to the cool glass. She'd tend to it in a moment, but for now she concentrated on keeping the traditional streak of black paint smooth and straight where it bisected her face.

It felt like she'd been doing this for most of her life rather than a couple months. She'd keep it up forever, or until So'koe paid for what she'd done. She clung to the sharp sting of pain and fury to keep afloat the despair, and finished her line.