The air was colder now, the forest seeming to close in around them as Lyanna followed Kalen further down the narrowing path. The tension from their encounter with Selene lingered, her cryptic warnings playing over and over in Lyanna's mind.
"Are you going to tell me who she was or not?" Lyanna finally broke the silence, her frustration bubbling to the surface.
Kalen sighed but didn't stop walking. "She's part of a world you'd do well to avoid."
"That's not an answer," she shot back.
"It's the only one I'm giving right now," he replied, his voice cold and final.
Lyanna clenched her fists, biting back another retort. The way he evaded every question only made her more determined to uncover the truth.
The Forgotten Shrine
The path ended abruptly in a clearing, dominated by the crumbling remains of an ancient shrine. Vines snaked through the broken stone, and the air seemed heavier here, charged with a strange, unexplainable energy.
Kalen stopped, his gaze scanning the area with practiced precision. "This is as far as we go for now."
Lyanna frowned. "Why here? What is this place?"
"A sanctuary," he said simply. "Or what's left of one."
Lyanna stepped closer to the shrine, her fingers brushing over the carved symbols etched into the stone. They were worn with age but still discernible—intricate patterns of thorns entwined with crowns.
"This isn't just any shrine," she murmured, recognition dawning. "It's tied to the Blooded Thorn, isn't it?"
Kalen's sharp glance confirmed her suspicion, though he said nothing.
"I thought the guild didn't believe in gods or sanctuaries," Lyanna continued, probing for answers.
"They don't," Kalen replied, his tone clipped. "Not anymore. But this place predates their corruption. It's a relic of what they once stood for."
"And what was that?"
Kalen hesitated, his gaze distant. "Balance. Justice. Protecting the kingdom from those who sought to destroy it. They weren't always assassins and mercenaries."
The bitterness in his voice was impossible to miss, and Lyanna found herself wondering just how deep his ties to the guild ran.
A Silent Pursuer
Their uneasy truce was shattered by a sudden rustling in the trees, louder and closer than before. Kalen's hand went to his sword, his body tensing like a coiled spring.
"Get behind me," he ordered, his voice low but commanding.
Lyanna didn't argue this time, slipping behind him as her heart raced. The shadows between the trees seemed to shift and ripple, as if alive.
A figure emerged, their face hidden beneath a hood, much like Selene's. But where Selene had been graceful, almost playful, this one was different. Their movements were sharp, deliberate, and radiated menace.
"Kalen," the figure said, their voice a guttural snarl. "You've strayed too far from your leash."
Lyanna felt Kalen's body tense even more, though his voice remained calm. "I've cut that leash. You're wasting your time."
The figure laughed, a low, unsettling sound. "No one truly cuts ties with the guild. You know that better than anyone."
Lyanna's blood ran cold. "Who is this?" she whispered.
"A shadow," Kalen said grimly. "One of the guild's enforcers."
The enforcer's gaze shifted to Lyanna, and she felt the weight of it like a physical blow. "So this is what you've been hiding. A royal prize. The guild will be very interested in her."
"Over my dead body," Kalen growled, stepping between them.
The enforcer's smile was all teeth. "That can be arranged."
A Fight in the Dark
The enforcer moved first, a blur of motion that was almost too fast to follow. Kalen's sword was out in an instant, blocking the first strike with a clash of steel that reverberated through the clearing.
Lyanna stumbled back, her heart hammering as the fight unfolded before her. Kalen was quick and precise, his movements fluid despite the enforcer's relentless assault. But the enforcer was stronger, their strikes fueled by an almost inhuman intensity.
"You're out of practice, Kalen," the enforcer taunted, their blade narrowly missing his side. "The guild made you what you are. Without us, you're nothing."
Kalen didn't reply, his focus unyielding. His sword met the enforcer's again and again, sparks flying with each collision.
Lyanna's eyes darted around the clearing, desperate for something—anything—that could help. Her gaze landed on a jagged piece of stone near the base of the shrine. She hesitated only a moment before grabbing it, the rough edges biting into her palms.
As the enforcer pressed Kalen back, their blade glancing off his shoulder and drawing blood, Lyanna acted. She hurled the stone with all her strength, the makeshift weapon striking the enforcer's arm and disrupting their next attack.
Kalen seized the opportunity, his blade slicing across the enforcer's side. They staggered, a curse spilling from their lips, before retreating into the shadows.
"This isn't over," the enforcer snarled before disappearing completely.
Unspoken Tensions
Kalen turned to Lyanna, his expression a mix of anger and something she couldn't quite place. "What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking you needed help," she shot back, adrenaline still coursing through her veins.
"I told you to stay behind me!"
"And if I had, you'd be dead right now," she retorted, her voice rising. "Or worse."
Kalen opened his mouth to argue but stopped, his gaze softening as he took in her trembling form. "You shouldn't have to fight these battles," he said quietly.
"Neither should you," she replied, her voice just as soft.
For a moment, the tension between them shifted, replaced by something deeper and unspoken. But just as quickly as it came, Kalen turned away, sheathing his sword.
"We need to move," he said, his voice distant. "The guild won't stop with one enforcer."
Lyanna nodded, though her mind was a whirlwind of emotions. The danger was far from over, and the secrets surrounding Kalen only seemed to grow darker.
As they left the clearing behind, the crumbling shrine stood as a silent reminder of the forces that threatened to consume them both.