The shadows clung to the narrow forest path like a second skin, heavy and unmoving. Veiss pushed through the undergrowth, his every step deliberate. Kaela followed closely behind, her gaze flitting nervously between the trees.
"Eyes open," Veiss muttered, his voice low. "These roads attract worse than beasts."
Kaela didn't respond, though her small hands gripped the edges of his cloak tightly. The air was tense, the kind of tension that made Veiss's scars itch. He tightened his grip on Umbraclaw, its jagged surface humming faintly in response.
Ahead, the path curved sharply, leading to a clearing bathed in the faint, cold light of the Black Sun. Veiss slowed his pace, his instincts screaming at him to stop.
Then he saw her.
A figure stood in the center of the clearing, her silhouette sharp against the pale glow. She was tall and lean, draped in dark leathers that hugged her frame like a second skin. A black scarf obscured the lower half of her face, and twin blades hung from her hips, their hilts glinting faintly.
She was waiting for them.
Veiss didn't hesitate. In one fluid motion, he drew Umbraclaw and stepped in front of Kaela, his body coiled like a spring.
"Step aside," he growled, his voice sharp and unyielding.
The woman tilted her head, her eyes narrowing. They were dark and sharp, like a predator's.
"You're a hard man to miss, Veiss," she said, her voice muffled by the scarf. "The Twilight Butcher, isn't it? Or do you prefer another title?"
Veiss's eye narrowed. "Who's asking?"
The woman stepped forward, her movements fluid and deliberate. She kept her hands away from her blades, but Veiss didn't relax.
"Lyris," she said simply. "And I'm not here to fight you. Not unless you make me."
Veiss didn't lower his weapon. "Then move."
Lyris's gaze flicked to Kaela, and her eyes lingered on the faint glow of the sigil beneath the girl's tattered cloak. A small, humorless smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.
"Interesting," she murmured. "A man like you, dragging around a cursed child. What's the story there?"
Veiss took a step forward, his blade glinting ominously. "You've got five seconds to walk away."
Lyris held her ground, her expression unchanging. "I don't think you want to kill me, Veiss. Not yet, anyway."
He stopped, his grip tightening. "And why's that?"
"Because I can help you," she said, her tone casual. "I know where the cult's hiding. An outpost not far from here. They're moving something big—something tied to her."
Veiss's gaze flicked to Kaela, then back to Lyris. He didn't trust her. He didn't trust anyone.
"You could be lying," he said.
"I could," she agreed, her eyes gleaming. "But I'm not. You've been hunting the cult for years, Veiss. I know that. I also know they're one step ahead of you because you don't have the resources or the connections to track them properly."
Veiss's jaw tightened.
"Let me guess," Lyris continued, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You've been wandering aimlessly, cutting down whatever cultists you stumble across, hoping to find answers. How's that working out for you?"
The blade hummed in his hand, its whispers urging him to strike. But Veiss hesitated, weighing his options.
"Why do you care?" he asked finally. "What's your angle?"
Lyris's expression darkened. "Let's just say I have unfinished business with the cult. And I'm not the kind of woman to leave loose ends."
Veiss studied her, his eye narrowing. There was something about her—something dangerous but familiar. She wasn't lying. At least, not entirely.
"You try anything," he said, his voice low and threatening, "and I'll gut you where you stand."
Lyris chuckled, a dry, humorless sound. "Fair enough. But you might want to save your energy for what's waiting at Grayhold."
"Grayhold?" Veiss repeated.
"A ruin," she explained. "Used to be a trading hub before the cult got to it. Now it's a tomb crawling with their experiments. If you're looking for answers about her"—she nodded toward Kaela—"that's where you'll find them."
Veiss glanced at Kaela, who stood silently, her wide eyes fixed on Lyris.
"Why should I believe you?" he asked.
"You shouldn't," Lyris said with a shrug. "But what's your alternative? Wandering these woods until something bigger and meaner than you decides to take a bite?"
Veiss considered her words, his grip on Umbraclaw loosening slightly.
"Fine," he said reluctantly. "But if this is a trap, I'll make sure you regret it."
Lyris's eyes sparkled with amusement. "I wouldn't expect anything less."
She turned and began walking, her movements as smooth and silent as a shadow. Veiss motioned for Kaela to follow, though the girl hesitated, her small frame trembling.
"It's fine," he said gruffly. "Keep moving."
Kaela nodded and followed, her gaze flicking nervously between Veiss and their new companion.
As they made their way toward Grayhold, Veiss couldn't shake the feeling that he had just made a deal with a devil.