“Is that a good idea?” Cassian asks, falling in beside and slightly behind the woman and the wisp.

He’s new here, but as captain of the guard, she’s probably been briefed about the unfamiliar face: Shadow Dragon, new recruit, vouched-for. Quietly competent, although he looks distinctly out of his depth here in this bizarre landscape; he’s a restless blade without a hand, a man waiting for orders, instinctively looking for somewhere he could be made of use.

He follows her for a few different reasons. For one, maybe this other captain will have orders. For another, while Gwenaëlle looks like she can handle herself, it’s still best for people to have backup and not walk off alone into this nightmare,

and, also, he can’t get out of this bubble without an anchor-bearer.

Rule number two: build your exit on your way in.