Faelan opened his eyes suddenly, breath uneven, as though he'd been pulled from somewhere far away.
The warm water around him had gone lukewarm. He was still in the bathtub.
For a moment, he just sat there, staring ahead.
"I must've fallen asleep…" he thought.
The memory still clung to him—the weight of the beast, the smell of blood, the feeling of claws tearing into flesh.
Faelan exhaled slowly and pushed himself upright.
He stepped out of the bath and pulled on the robe that had been left out for him. Gathering his clothes, he made sure to keep the small wooden box close at hand before leaving the room.
Faelan stepped out of the bathroom—then stopped.
Ria sat by the window, wrapped in a bathrobe she wore more like an oversized trench coat than something meant for comfort.
She was struggling through a book at an agonizing pace, lips moving faintly as she read.
Faelan immediately looked away.
"What are you doing here?" he asked. "I'm pretty sure I booked you a room too."
They were staying at Arven's Oasis, one of Caderrig's most popular hotels.
Mostly because it was cheap.
"Well, I like this room better," Ria replied without looking up from the book. "It has more space. Better view too. Mine doesn't even have a bathtub."
She slowly turned a page.
"I'd rather stay here."
Faelan stared at her in disbelief.
The smaller room she had rejected already felt painfully expensive to him.
"You said a bed was enough earlier," he snapped. "Back when I was paying for the rooms."
"That was before I saw what was beyond just a bed."
Ria finally glanced away from the book, looking out the window instead.
"This is nice."
A pause.
"We can just share it."
"Fine," Faelan exhaled, already wondering if the reception would refund the second room.
KNOCK KNOCK
"Oh, right," Ria said casually, eyes still glued to the book. "Someone named room service kept knocking earlier."
Faelan stared at her for a second before opening the door.
A stout man in his thirties stood outside in a gray uniform, a bushy mustache resting above an overly polite smile.
"There is a complimentary laundry service available for guests," the man explained. His eyes briefly flicked over Faelan's bandaged body.
"I see you've already made use of the bathrobe. Nightwear will be delivered shortly for both you and your companion, but for now I'll need your clothes."
Faelan handed them over slowly, still somewhat puzzled.
Caderrig hotel policies almost made the price feel reasonable.
Almost.
He closed the door and turned back toward Ria.
"Did they take your clothes too?" he asked.
"Yes, actually."
He suspected as much.
"I'm taking a nap," Faelan muttered as he crawled into the bed.
Ria gave a silent nod, still completely absorbed in her book.
Minutes passed in silence.
Faelan tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep despite how comfortable the bed was.
At some point, room service arrived with their nightwear, then the room fell quiet again.
Faelan glanced toward Ria.
She was still reading.
Her locs spilled across one side of her face as she leaned closer to the pages, glassy eyes catching the light from the window. From certain angles, the color of her pupils almost seemed to shift.
Faelan stared a moment longer than he intended to.
"Ria?" Faelan called softly.
"Yes, Fae?" she replied, eyes still fixed on the book.
"What are you reading?"
"Peasants of the Fallen Kingdom."
"What's it about?"
Ria turned another page before answering.
"It's about a man whose life gets overturned by war. Wrong place, wrong time, if you ask me."
She shifted slightly in her seat.
"He knows it too. Everyone he knew is gone. Everything he had—taken."
Faelan stayed quiet, listening.
"He doesn't really know who to blame," Ria continued. "Not the king who needed more land for his people. Not the soldiers who just followed orders. Not even the ruler defending his territory."
A pause.
"Right now he's just trying to pick up whatever pieces of his life are left."
She turned another page.
"Then there's the other man."
Her voice lowered slightly.
"He blames everyone. The king who couldn't find another way. The soldiers who willingly joined the war. The ruler who answered anger with more anger instead of trying peace first."
Faelan frowned slightly. "What happens?"
Ria blinked once and looked back down at the page.
"I'm still reading it."
"Tell me when you're done?" Faelan said.
"Of course," Ria replied, glancing out the window.
"It's getting late. We should probably get dinner."
"Good idea. Let's go."
She placed the book down, and together they headed downstairs for a warm meal.
***
Flames crackled softly, casting restless light across the camp as the Ryve settled in for the night.
"Tomorrow we reach Caderrig," the captain said. "We don't know how this operation will go, or how long it'll take to secure the target. Rest while you can."
His gaze shifted toward one of the squad members.
"Sarvel. First watch."
"Yes, sir," Sarvel replied.
Each of them settled beneath separate trees, trying to find enough comfort to sleep.
***
Sunlight crept through the window, staining the room in a warm glow.
Faelan woke sluggishly, his usual nightmares leaving his rest less than optimal.
As expected, Ria was already awake.
She sat by the window exactly where she had been the night before, staring outside in silence.
Yet again, she hadn't slept.
"Good morning," Faelan greeted as he climbed out of bed.
"Morning, Fae," Ria replied.
She sounded distracted, almost lost in thought as she stared out the window, as though searching for something beyond the city.
Faelan grabbed their clothes and changed quickly.
When he returned, the bathroom door was shut. Water could be heard faintly from inside.
"Ria," he called, knocking lightly on the door. "I'll be heading out today."
He leaned against the frame afterward, waiting for a response.
He knew she planned to keep moving, but he wasn't sure she even knew where she intended to go next—or how she'd get there.
And considering she apparently had no money, that only made him more curious.
"You're headed home, right?" Ria replied from inside the bathroom. "Do you know where I should go next?"
It was a surprisingly difficult question.
Outside of Solax, Faelan had mostly traveled between settlements and small villages. There weren't many places he'd genuinely recommend to someone.
"Not really," he admitted.
"Oh well."
The bathroom door opened.
"I'll end up somewhere eventually."
Ria stepped out, water still clinging to her skin as the bathrobe hung loosely from her frame.
Faelan immediately looked away and headed for the bathroom himself.
***
People instinctively stepped aside as the figures passed through the gate.
Their uniforms bore no insignia, yet somehow everyone understood the same thing: stopping them would be unwise.
The squad halted briefly near the entrance.
"Spread out," the captain ordered. "Radio your position every twenty minutes. If you locate the target, do not engage alone."
His tone hardened.
"I repeat—do not engage alone."
The Ryve acknowledged with silent nods.
"Celot," the captain continued, "inform the local authorities of our presence."
"Yes, sir," Celot replied.
Without another word, the squad dispersed into the city.