The crypt was behind them.
Reed had expected to feel relief the moment they stepped into the open air, but instead, he felt… cold. It wasn't just the bite of the night breeze—it was the realization that they weren't out of danger. Not even close.
Lena seemed to share the same thought. She barely hesitated before leading them deeper into the forest, her pace brisk but not hurried. The moonlight barely cut through the thick canopy above, turning the path ahead into an abyss of shifting shadows.
Reed followed, still shaken from their encounter with the hooded figure. His mind replayed their words.
"Be careful which paths you walk. Not all doors should be opened."
Who were they? Why had they let them go? And more importantly… what did they mean?
Lena's voice pulled him from his thoughts. "We need to find shelter before dawn."
Reed exhaled. "What, not gonna give me a second to celebrate not dying?"
She didn't humor him with a response.
Reed rolled his eyes and kept walking. His legs were screaming, exhaustion pressing down on him like a weight. The adrenaline from the fight had long since burned out, leaving only the dull ache of his body protesting every movement.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Lena slowed. They had come across a small clearing, tucked between the roots of an ancient, fallen tree. It wasn't much, but it was hidden well enough.
"This will do," Lena said simply, kneeling to check the ground.
Reed didn't argue. He collapsed onto the nearest patch of grass with a heavy sigh. His whole body throbbed. His mind, too. He wanted to sleep for a week.
Lena, meanwhile, was still moving. She had placed her sword within reach and was already adjusting their surroundings to make them harder to spot.
Reed watched her work for a moment before finally muttering, "You really don't stop, do you?"
Lena glanced at him. "I'll rest when it's safe."
He let out a tired chuckle. "That ever happen?"
Silence.
Then, in a quieter voice, Lena said, "Not often."
Reed frowned. There was something in the way she said it. Not just caution—experience.
It wasn't just training. It wasn't just discipline.
She had lived this.
Maybe that was why she had saved him. Maybe, deep down, she had seen something familiar in him—a survivor.
Reed didn't push. He let the silence settle between them, the quiet hum of the night filling the space instead.
Eventually, Lena sat down across from him. She still wasn't fully at ease, but even she couldn't ignore the exhaustion weighing on them both.
Reed stretched out with a groan. "So, tomorrow… what's the plan?"
Lena's eyes stayed on the trees. "We keep moving."
He sighed. "Of course."
His gaze flickered upward, toward the sky. The stars stretched endlessly above them, distant and indifferent.
For now, at least, they were alive.
For now, that was enough.