The sound echoed louder than she expected in the quiet corridor of the old inn.
For a moment, she stood frozen, second guessing everything. Her hand hovered mid-air, ready to knock again or bolt down the stairs, when the door creaked open.
A young man answered.
He looked to be one or two years older than she was, and he squinted at her as if he was just waking from a particularly unflattering nap.
His dark hair was messy, flattened on one side, and there was an undeniable crease on his cheek, the kind that could only come from sleeping face down on something rough and probably wooden.
This… definitely wasn't one of the people that had faced the creatures of the Deep.
"Yeah?" He mumbled, voice scratchy with sleep.
Zuzu blinked. "Sorry! I think I have the wrong room."
She stepped back, then paused. Maybe…
She turned back to him. "I'm looking for the group that came in with Captain Hook. The outsiders asking for a Tidecaller."
The guy yawned, stretching one arm lazily over his head. "Yeah. This is it. You've got the right room."
She squinted at him, unconvinced. "Really?"
"Yup." He said, smacking his lips. "Welcome to the lair of legends. I'm Thorn."
He extended a hand, grinning like he didn't mind the awkward pause.
She didn't take it. Instead, she just studied him.
"You're one of the outsiders?"
Thorn gave a half-bow, which might have been impressive if he hadn't stumbled slightly doing it.
"At your service. What gave it away? My rugged good looks or the aura of mysterious exhaustion?"
Zuzu frowned. "Honestly, I expected... someone taller."
"Ouch." Thorn put a hand to his chest. "You wound me deeply."
"Figured I'd start how I mean to go on." She said, folding her arms.
Thorn's grin widened. "Spicy. I like it. Come on in. The rest of the crew will be back soon."
Zuzu stepped inside, cautiously.
The room was modest, clearly not built for comfort. A pair of beds, and a rickety table cluttered with very realistic images of the Hungering Deep. Whoever had drawn it could definitely make a living selling art.
This was definitely the place.
She gave everything in the room a once over with a raised brow.
"So," she said, turning back to Thorn, "what exactly is your role in the team of monster slaying heroes?"
Thorn sat on the edge of one of the beds, stretched out a bit like a cat, and propped one leg up dramatically.
"Ah, I am the strategist. The blade in the shadows when no one else dares to strike. And also the morale officer and chronicler of everyone's embarrassing moments."
Zuzu tilted her head. "You're the guy they leave behind, aren't you?"
Thorn dropped his leg. "Excuse me?"
"You were alone when I knocked. So either you're a one-man army, or they left you here because you're not that useful outside."
"And since you're alone, nobody loves listening to you snore. That means you snore like a beached whale."
Thorn narrowed his eyes. "I do not snore. I purr. Heroically."
Zuzu smirked. "So... comic relief, then."
"I'll have you know I've faced horrors you can't imagine, walked through storms, and survived Lilith's temper before. Just Lilith's temper alone qualifies me as a war hero."
Zuzu leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "I've seen the Deep too. Nearly got swallowed by it."
"Ah." Thorn said, grinning. "So that explains the fearless sarcasm."
"No." She replied. "That explains why I don't waste time."
Thorn lifted his hands. "Fair. But if you're hoping to join us, you better have more than a coincidental brush with doom."
"I fish, fight, and sail better than most my age."
"And how old is that? Twelve?"
"Ah, the golden age of reckless confidence."
Zuzu rolled her eyes. "Says the guy who smells like wet socks and ego."
Thorn laughed. "Alright, alright. You're quick. I'll give you that."
She smiled slightly. "And you're not as dumb as you look. That's rare."
"High praise coming from someone whose entire plan was to knock on a stranger's door and hope for the best."
"It worked, didn't it?"
Thorn paused. "You got me there."
They circled each other like that for more than half an hour, verbally, at least.
Zuzu teased him for the stories he'd told her of his adventures. They were probably exaggerated.
She rolled her eyes at his theatrics, and he rolled his at how fascinated she looked when he described the dragon from the Deep.
"Let me guess." Zuzu said, crossing the room to examine a dagger on the table. "You threw this at the sea dragon and it bounced off?"
"No." Thorn said proudly, "I threw it at the sea dragon, and it actually sneezed."
She snorted, a short, surprised sound. Thorn glanced at her.
"That was almost a smile. You should warn a guy."
Zuzu grinned. "You should warn a girl when your jokes are actually funny."
He leaned back against the wall, arms behind his head. "So, why us?"
"Why not wait for the big Council-approved army like everyone else?" Thorn said, his tone suddenly serious.
Zuzu hesitated. She looked at her hands. "Because I want to go now."\\
Silence filled the room.
"I want to see it again. That moment where the world becomes something bigger. That rush. That terror. That wonder. I want something more than docks and crates. I want to be a part of something that matters."
Thorn nodded slowly. "Yeah. That sounds familiar."
She looked at him seriously. "Do you really think they'll let me join?"
He shrugged. "No idea. Ren can be careful. Elias is practical. And Lilith…" He trailed off.
"Actually, that reminds me." He stood straight, his expression hard to show just how serious this was.
"No matter what you do, do not show any interest in Ren."
"Ren?" Zuzu raised a brow.
"You'll know who I'm talking about when they get back." Thorn waved that away. "As long as you don't show interest in him, Lilith won't kill you."
He paused. "Probably."
"That's very reassuring." Zuzu said sarcastically.
"You know what? It might not even matter." Thorn grinned. "Lilith might just gut you for breathing near her favorite chair."
"Now I know you're trying to scare me." Zuzu scoffed.
"My point is, whatever happens, they'll listen to your pitch. Especially after hearing you put me in my place."
Zuzu tilted her head. "So you do admit that I won the exchange."
"I said put me in my place, not keep me there. I'm still standing."
She opened her mouth to reply, but the door creaked open.
The rest of the group had arrived.