The group was ready to go to the Shade society but to enter there they need to enter a gate which is on the south Side of the country.
After they enter the gate there was two parts between The earth and Shade society.
The gate The void
The gate is where we enter at first. The gate has a portal inside. We have to enter the portal in order to reach the void. But that isn't simple.
The gate is filled with monsters, Very dangerous one and most importantly the portal that The gate has changes its destination from time to time. So you all have to enter the portal at the same time otherwise you guys will be teleported to different locations. And also Oswin and John wouldn't be able to join them. Because they have some work to do. But Mark will be there to help them.
After that they reached Sara's grandparents house. Sara requested everyone to keep Sam's and Sara's relationship secret because her grandparents are very strict about it.
After they reach there Sara's cousin falls for him immediately by his looks.
The morning sun filtered through the small window of Sam's room, casting a warm glow on the simple yet comfortable furnishings. He stretched, feeling the lingering comfort of a deep sleep, something he hadn't experienced in a long while. For a moment, he allowed himself to forget the impending dangers and enjoy the tranquility that the village offered.
But as soon as he stepped out of his room, the serenity of the morning was quickly disrupted by an unexpected presence. Lila was waiting in the hallway, leaning casually against the wall with a playful smile on her lips. Her dark hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, and her eyes sparkled with mischief.
"Good morning, Sam," she greeted him, her tone sweet but with a hint of something more.
"Morning, Lila," Sam replied, offering her a polite nod as he tried to sidestep her in the narrow hallway.
But Lila was quick, moving to block his path with an easy grace. "In a rush, are we? I was hoping we could talk."
Sam raised an eyebrow, unsure of what to make of her sudden interest. "About what?"
"Oh, just about anything," Lila replied with a shrug, her eyes never leaving his. "You're new here, and I thought it would be nice to get to know you better."
Sam chuckled softly, though he was still wary. "I appreciate that, but I'm not sure how much I can tell you. We're here on a mission, after all."
Lila pouted slightly, though her eyes still danced with amusement. "You're as serious as Sara, you know that? But come on, surely you can take a little break from all the seriousness."
Sam hesitated, but before he could respond, Sara appeared at the other end of the hallway, her expression guarded as she took in the scene. She didn't say anything at first, but the tension in the air was palpable.
"Lila," Sara said, her voice calm but with a slight edge, "we're about to start our morning training. Why don't you join Grandma in the garden?"
Lila turned to her cousin, her playful smile widening. "Training? Now that sounds like fun. Maybe I'll stick around and watch."
Sara's eyes narrowed slightly, but she kept her tone measured. "It's nothing exciting, just the usual drills. I'm sure you'd rather enjoy the garden."
Lila's smile didn't falter, but there was a challenge in her gaze as she looked back at Sam. "What do you say, Sam? Think you can impress me with your skills?"
Before Sam could answer, Sara stepped forward, placing herself between them. "Lila, I'm sure Sam would prefer to focus on his training. We don't want any distractions."
Lila sighed dramatically but finally relented. "Alright, alright. I'll leave you to it. But don't think you're off the hook, Sam. I'll catch up with you later."
With a wink, she sauntered off, leaving Sam and Sara standing in the hallway, the tension between them now thicker than before.
"She's…persistent," Sam remarked, trying to break the awkward silence.
"She's trouble," Sara muttered under her breath, though there was a hint of something else in her tone—something Sam couldn't quite place.
"Jealous, are we?" Sam teased, a playful grin spreading across his face.
Sara's eyes flashed with irritation, but she quickly masked it with a cool expression. "I'm just trying to keep things professional. We're here for a reason, remember?"
Sam's grin softened into a more serious expression. "I know. I'm just messing with you."
Sara sighed, some of the tension leaving her shoulders. "I know. I just… Lila can be a bit much, and I don't want her distracting you."
Sam reached out, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, you don't have to worry about that. I'm focused on the mission, and on helping you. Lila's just…being Lila."
Sara looked up at him, her expression softening as she met his gaze. For a moment, they stood there in the quiet hallway, the world outside the small house seeming to fade away. It was a rare moment of calm between them, and Sam felt a warmth in his chest that he hadn't realized he'd been missing.
"Thank you," Sara said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Sam smiled, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze before letting his hand drop. "Anytime."
The morning training session was rigorous, as usual, but Sam noticed that Sara seemed more focused than ever, pushing herself harder than the rest of them. He couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with Lila's earlier flirtations. The thought made him smile, but he kept it to himself, not wanting to provoke Sara any further.
As they wrapped up their morning drills, Sam found himself walking back towards the cottage, his thoughts troubled. He didn't have long to reflect, though, because as soon as they were out of the training ground, Lila was waiting for them.
Lila approached Sam with a bright smile, clearly intent on picking up where they had left off the previous evening. She was dressed in a casual yet flattering outfit, her hair styled neatly, giving her an air of effortless charm.
"Sam," she called out, her tone light and teasing, "I was hoping to steal you away for a bit. How about a walk through the village? I can show you some of the hidden spots only the locals know about."
Before Sam could respond, Sara, who had been walking slightly ahead, turned sharply to face them. "Lila, we're still in the middle of our mission. There's no time for sightseeing."
Lila didn't miss a beat, her smile never wavering. "Oh, come on, Sara. Everyone needs a break, right? Besides, it'll give Sam a chance to see more of where you grew up. Isn't that what family is for?"
Sara's jaw clenched, and for a moment, Sam thought she might outright refuse. But then she sighed, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly as she glanced at him. "If you want to go, Sam, that's fine. Just remember we have more training this afternoon."
Sam hesitated, feeling caught between the two cousins. He knew how serious Sara was about their mission, but he also didn't want to cause any unnecessary friction. "A quick walk sounds good," he said, finally deciding. "We'll be back soon."
Sara's expression was unreadable as she nodded. "Alright. Just don't get too distracted."
Lila's eyes gleamed with victory as she looped her arm through Sam's. "Don't worry, Sara. I'll take good care of him."
The morning sun was warm on Sam's skin as he and Lila strolled through the narrow streets of the village. The market was bustling with activity—vendors calling out their wares, children laughing as they darted between the stalls, and villagers chatting as they went about their daily routines. The air was filled with the scent of fresh bread, herbs, and the earthy aroma of freshly tilled soil.
Lila walked beside Sam, her arm still loosely linked with his. She chatted easily, pointing out various landmarks and sharing stories from her childhood. Sam listened with genuine interest, but he couldn't help but notice the way Lila occasionally glanced up at him, her eyes lingering on his face as if searching for something.
As they passed by a flower stall, a group of young women, no older than Lila, noticed them. One of the girls, with a basket of flowers in her hand, stopped mid-step, her eyes widening as she took in the sight of Sam. Her cheeks flushed a deep pink, and she quickly nudged her friend, who also turned to look.
"Lila," the first girl called out, a teasing grin spreading across her face as she approached. "Who's this handsome stranger you've brought to the market? He's not from around here, is he?"
Lila laughed, clearly enjoying the attention. "No, he's not. This is Sam, a friend of my cousin Sara. He's visiting for a few days."
The girl's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she looked at Sam, her blush deepening. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Sam. We don't get many visitors as handsome as you around here."
Sam felt his own face heat up slightly at the unexpected compliment. "Nice to meet you too," he said politely, offering the girl a small smile.
Another girl joined the conversation, her gaze flicking between Lila and Sam. "Lila, is he your boyfriend? You always did have a way of finding the best-looking guys."
Lila's eyes gleamed with mischief, and she didn't immediately deny it. "What do you think, Sam? Should we let them believe that?"
Sam chuckled, though he was starting to feel a little overwhelmed by the sudden attention. "I wouldn't want to cause any misunderstandings."
The girls giggled, clearly enjoying the banter. "Well, if he's not your boyfriend, Lila, maybe you could introduce him to the rest of us," one of them teased.
Before Lila could respond, another voice cut through the chatter, cool and composed. "Sorry to interrupt, ladies, but Sam is actually here with me."
The group turned to see Sara walking towards them, her expression calm but with an undeniable edge in her eyes. She moved with a quiet confidence, her presence immediately shifting the dynamic.
"Oh, Sara!" one of the girls exclaimed, clearly surprised. "We didn't realize… we were just talking with Lila."
Sara nodded, her gaze flicking briefly to Lila before settling on Sam. "I'm sure you were. But Sam and I have a lot to do today, so we should probably get going."
Lila's smile didn't falter, but there was a hint of something sharper behind it as she turned to Sam. "It seems you're in high demand, Sam. But I suppose I'll have to share you with my dear cousin."
Sam, sensing the underlying tension, offered a diplomatic smile. "It's been great meeting everyone, but Sara's right—we do have a lot to get done."
The girls pouted playfully, but they didn't press the issue further. "Alright, Sara, we'll leave you to it," one of them said with a wink. "But Sam, don't be a stranger while you're here."
As the group of girls dispersed, Lila turned to Sara with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Seems like Sam's quite popular around here. Who knew?"
Sara met her gaze evenly. "He's here to help us with something important, Lila. The last thing we need is distractions."
Lila's expression softened into something more genuine, though her eyes still sparkled with mischief. "You know me, Sara—I'm just having a little fun. Besides, it's good to see you with someone who can keep up with you."
Sara's response was measured, her tone carefully neutral. "I appreciate the concern, but we need to stay focused."
Sam watched the exchange, aware of the tension between the two cousins but unsure of how to diffuse it. He was caught between Lila's playful flirtations and Sara's serious demeanor, and he wasn't entirely sure where he stood in all of this.
Sensing the awkwardness, Lila sighed dramatically but with a smile. "Well, I suppose I'll leave you two to your 'important business' then. But don't think you're off the hook, Sam. We still have that walk in the woods to finish."
Sam nodded, giving her a polite smile. "I'll keep that in mind."
Lila waved them off with a breezy smile before turning and heading back into the market, her demeanor light as if the tension between them had never existed. But Sam knew better—there was more going on beneath the surface than Lila let on.
As they began walking back towards the cottage, the silence between Sam and Sara was heavy, but it wasn't entirely uncomfortable. Sam could sense that Sara was holding back something, though he wasn't sure what.
After a few minutes of walking in silence, Sam finally spoke up. "Sara, about earlier… I didn't mean to cause any trouble."
Sara glanced at him, her expression softening. "You didn't. Lila just likes to push buttons, that's all. She's always been that way."
Sam nodded, understanding. "I get it. She seems like she enjoys getting reactions out of people."
Sara gave a small smile, though there was a hint of something else in her eyes. "She does. But it's more than that—Lila likes to test people. To see how far she can push before they push back."
Sam tilted his head, curious. "And you? How do you handle it?"
Sara's smile faded slightly, replaced by a thoughtful expression. "I've learned to pick my battles. Lila's not a bad person, but she's… complicated. We've always had a bit of a rivalry, I suppose."
Sam nodded, the pieces falling into place. "I noticed. She seems to enjoy making things a little more difficult."
Sara laughed softly, the sound carrying a hint of relief. "You could say that. But she's also family, and despite everything, I care about her."
Sam appreciated Sara's honesty. It was clear that her relationship with Lila was complex, filled with both affection and tension. But there was also something else, something that made him think about the deeper bond they shared, despite the surface-level competition.
"Sara," Sam said, stopping in his tracks and turning to face her, "I don't want to come between you and Lila. Whatever this is, I'll follow your lead."
Sara met his gaze, her expression unreadable for a moment before she nodded. "I appreciate that, Sam. But this isn't about you coming between us. Lila and I… we've always had our differences. You're just the latest thing for us to spar over."
Sam wasn't sure if that was comforting or not, but he appreciated her straightforwardness. "I'll do my best to stay out of the crossfire, then."
Sara's lips quirked into a small smile. "Good idea. Just keep your head down, and you'll survive."
They continued walking, the tension between them easing into something more comfortable. As they approached the cottage, Sam felt a sense of clarity. Despite the complications that Lila brought into the mix, his relationship with Sara was the one that mattered most.
For now, he was content to follow her lead and focus on the mission at hand. The rest would sort itself out in time.