The trail after the Shiver Ridge was no kinder than the usual.
Steep, jagged terrain awaited them, and the cold had become almost a living thing, gnawing through their cloaks and thick boots to bite at their skin.
Their breath fogged the air with every step, the sound of crunching snow beneath their boots echoing faintly off the cliffs around them.
They walked in silence for a while, but Dario, ever the talker, couldn’t hold back for long.
"Wow. My mind is still on that lion." He said, striding with his usual carefree gait. "That was something, huh?"
"Contessa with the light show, Nero with the uppercut of darkness. Beautiful work. Haven’t seen a team fight like that in years."
"Actually, this reminds me of the time I saw a pair of warlords duel a mountain drake. It was a sight to behold. I’d have described it for you guys, but you just had to be there. Words are not enough to paint the picture of the artistry I saw that day. It was something else."
As Dario chattered Ren said nothing, while Thorn offered a quiet grunt.
As usual, Lilith remained silent, but this wasn’t her usual quiet. This one was filled with glances at Nero and Contessa, who walked by their side, the two group separated by a healthy distance.
"No need to be shy with the compliments," Dario continued, glancing over his shoulder. "I mean, come on. That coordination? That kind of teamwork doesn’t happen overnight. Makes me feel like I’m walking with legends."
"Less talking," Lilith snapped. "More walking."
"Right, right." Dario said, unfazed. "The snow’s making you cranky. I get it. Cold gets into the bones. Freezes the humor out of people."
Thorn chuckled at the joke, before glancing away as Lilith glared at him.
Hours passed as they pushed deeper into the mountains. The sun dipped lower, casting long shadows across the snow-covered ridges. Then, the trail ended.
Before them yawned a massive chasm, stretching wide and deep, its bottom hidden beneath rolling mist.
Thin, jagged rock outcroppings jutted from the chasm in staggered intervals, like broken teeth. That was the only way across.
Dario stopped at the edge, whistling low. "This part’s always fun. Don’t worry, the stones are stable enough if you jump clean. Just don’t stop halfway."
"Stable enough’s not a great sales pitch." Thorn muttered.
They began crossing, one by one. Dario led, hopping with surprising agility from rock to rock, chatting all the while.
"You know," he said mid-hop, "I once guided a group of merchants this way. Poor guys didn’t have half your reflexes. Lost three crates of ale. Shame, too. It was the good stuff. Aged in nice oak barrels—"
Then his foot slipped.
Dario stumbled forward, his footing catching the edge of a jagged rock. With a yelp, he tipped sideways into open air.
Before anyone could blink, both Lilith and Contessa sprang into motion.
Lilith’s legs tensed, propelling her forward in a graceful arc. Contessa summoned a platform of light mid-air and launched herself just as swiftly.
The two collided mid-air, their momentum clashing.
Lilith snarled and twisted, grabbing Dario by the arm as he fell. Contessa’s fingers brushed his coat, but she pulled back just as quickly, flipping to land on a lower rock.
Lilith, meanwhile, leapt from outcropping and outcropping to land with Dario in tow on the opposite ledge.
Nero laughed, the sound rich and oddly warm. "Healthy competition. Always good to keep the reflexes sharp."
Ren and Thorn leapt across as fast as they could, their bodies tense.
But Nero made no move as he soared to the other side to land beside Contessa, who stared at Lilith in silence through her silver mask.
"No harm done, people." Nero chuckled softly.
Dario dusted himself off and offered a sheepish smile.
"Much obliged." He said to Lilith, then nodded to Contessa. "Both of you. Real lifesavers, you two."
He didn’t comment on the way their eyes stayed locked for a moment longer than necessary, or how Lilith looked like she was deciding whether to call that a rescue or a challenge.
"We camp here." Dario declared. "No sense pushing on in the dark. That chasm is the last real hazard before we reach the Echo Flats."
They unpacked their gear. Ren and Thorn erected their tents quickly, their movements practiced.
Dario rolled out his mat near the fire pit, muttering to himself about bruises and pride.
Nero summoned his dome of shadow with a lazy wave. Him and Contessa retreated into it as always.
As the fire crackled to life, casting warm light over the snow-dusted ground, Ren sat beside it, arms crossed.
Thorn leaned back on his elbows, the fire dancing in his eyes, and Lilith crouched near the flames, absently turning her knife in her fingers.
"We need to talk." Ren said, voice low.
Thorn shifted. Lilith stopped spinning the knife.
"They’re strong." Ren continued. "Nero and Contessa. Stronger than I expected. Stronger than I think we can handle."
"If I had my full power," Lilith murmured, "it wouldn’t matter. I’d end them both in under a minute."
Ren nodded. "But you don’t. And unless that changes, we have to be smart."
"So what are you saying?" Thorn asked. "We back off? Let them lead? Let them take over the mission?"
"No." Ren said. "We stay alert. We learn what we can. And we don’t let our guard down. Not for a second."
"They’re not just strong." Lilith said quietly. "They’re trained. Efficient. They know how to fight together. Like soldiers. Or assassins."
"They don’t hesitate." Ren agreed. "Which means if something happens, they’ll act just as fast or even faster than we can. We can’t afford that."
"Fuck." Thorn swore. "We don’t need this right now."
In the silence that followed, the wind howled faintly beyond the camp, brushing snow along the edges of the firelight.
The three of them were lost in their thoughts, even though they were all thinking about the same thing.
The crackle of the fire before them was a pleasant backdrop to their thoughts. At least until the footsteps came.
Nero and Contessa emerged from the shadows, walking side by side. The firelight made their cloaks shimmer, the dark and light standing out against the other.
"Evening." Nero said casually as they stopped before them. "Mind if we join you?"