Akiko kept them to the shadows, boots whispering over cold stone as they wound through narrow streets. Patrols prowled nearby. The low hum of vehicles, the bark of clipped orders carried on the wind.

But Akiko's instincts were sharper than their perimeter. She threaded them through the gaps, pulling Skadi along until the noise of pursuit fell behind.

Only then did she slow, casting a glance back.

"Take a moment," she murmured, voice softening.

Skadi slumped against a wall, one hand gripping the edge like it was the only thing keeping her upright. Her breath came in slow, uneven pulls.

Akiko turned away, her HUD flickering faintly.

"Update on Raya's position," she whispered under her breath.

Takuto responded instantly. A waypoint pulsed softly at the edge of her vision. Raya was still at Skadi's home.

Akiko's chest tightened.

She probably thinks I'm dead. Again.

Her jaw clenched as she traced the waypoint with her eyes. She couldn't take Skadi back there. Not with Haven sweeping the hold. Not with Vehrin's bruised ego undoubtedly fueling the search.

Her fingers brushed the ruby at her throat, nails tapping softly against the gem.

"Ping Raya," she whispered to Takuto. "Tell her to meet us halfway."

The reply came in a heartbeat. "Message sent."

Akiko turned back to Skadi. The girl hadn't moved much, still pressed against the wall like she was trying to vanish into the stone.

"We'll meet Raya soon," Akiko said gently.

Skadi's head snapped up, confusion tightening her brow. "Why not just go home?"

Akiko hesitated.

Because it's not safe. Because I can't lose anyone else tonight.

"Because they'll be looking for you there," she said instead. "I'm not risking it."

Skadi flinched, curling in on herself like the words struck harder than they should've.

Akiko's voice softened. "We'll figure this out. I promise."

Skadi didn't answer. Just nodded, eyes locked on the ground.

Akiko exhaled quietly and let the silence settle for one more breath. Then she straightened.

"Let's move," she whispered, reaching out to steady Skadi by the elbow. "We'll meet her halfway."

The Hold's cold breath bit at their skin as they walked, the hum of Haven patrols fading into distant static. The air hung heavy between them. Thick with words neither of them had said yet.

Akiko caught the tension in Skadi's posture. The way she hugged her arms tighter around herself. The set of her jaw. The quiet that felt too sharp to ignore.

They slowed their pace. Akiko's HUD still pinged Raya's location, faint and steady. Close, but not urgent. For once, they had a moment to breathe.

Skadi broke first.

"I hate this," she muttered, low and tight. "I hate that I'm… useless."

Akiko blinked, glancing sideways. "Useless? I don't remember you just sitting around when Karn's goons came knocking."

Skadi's lips twisted. Her shoulders hunched tighter. "I didn't stop them, did I? I couldn't stop them. They took her."

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

Akiko sighed softly, slowing to match Skadi's stuttering pace. "You're being too hard on yourself."

"Am I?" Skadi stopped dead, spinning toward her. "Because it sure feels like I'm just tagging along while you do everything."

Akiko turned, eyes softening. "Look, I get it. You want to fight. You want to help. But charging in without a plan? That's not brave. That's suicide."

She knew the shape of that impulse, knew it too well. The part of her that burned to act, to leap before thinking, still stirred in her chest. It had gotten her this far. It had almost gotten her killed more than once.

Skadi's jaw clenched, but she didn't argue.

Akiko rubbed the back of her neck, breath misting in the frozen air. She stared up at the sky for a long, brittle moment before speaking again.

"You're not gonna pick up a rifle and turn into a soldier overnight. And magic? That's even riskier."

Skadi frowned. "Why? You have it. Raya has it. Why can't I—?"

Akiko held up a hand, cutting her off gently. "Because magic doesn't work like that."

Skadi's frustration faltered, curiosity flickering beneath it. "Then how?"

Akiko's breath slipped out slow. Her gaze dropped to the frozen ground. "For me… it's part of who I am. Like my foxfire. Like my tail." Her hand brushed the base of her spine instinctively. "It's in my blood. Always has been."

Skadi swallowed. "And Raya?"

Akiko flinched, the weight of that memory pressing sharp against her ribs.

"She got it because she touched something I never should've gone near." Her voice dropped low, heavy. "It probably should have killed her."

Skadi's breath caught. "But it didn't."

"No," Akiko whispered. "But it's a reminder that magic isn't a toy. It doesn't care what you want. It takes. And if it isn't already part of you… forcing it?" She shook her head. "That's how you get burned."

Skadi looked away, fists curling tight. "So I'm just… nothing."

Akiko stepped closer, setting a hand on Skadi's shoulder. Firm. Steady.

"You're not nothing," she said quietly. "You don't need magic to matter. And as much as it kills me to admit it… a gun's probably the smarter bet in this world."

Skadi scoffed softly, doubt flickering in her eyes.

Akiko's grin tugged crooked. "But if we make it through this? I'll show you a few tricks with daggers. Not exactly cutting-edge tech, but—" she shrugged "—sometimes it's not about winning. Sometimes it's just about surviving the next five minutes."

Skadi huffed out something that almost sounded like a laugh. Almost.

"Daggers?" she muttered, shaking her head.

Akiko grinned wider. "Hey, I never said it was a good plan. But it's a start."

For the first time since the attack in her home, the tension in Skadi's face cracked, just a little. Her shoulders loosened. Her breath eased.

Akiko turned back toward the darkened path ahead.

"Come on," she called over her shoulder. "We've got ground to cover."

Skadi fell into step beside her. The frustration hadn't vanished, but something new had sparked beneath it. A stubborn flicker of resolve.

Akiko hoped it would hold.

The waypoint on Akiko's HUD pulsed brighter with every step. The icy wind bit at her cheeks, but it wasn't the cold that tightened her chest.

What do I even say to her?

She hadn't stopped thinking about Raya. Not once. Not since the cell. Not since the fight. Every step had carried the weight of Raya's voice in the back of her mind.

When they rounded the bend, she stopped breathing.

Raya stood alone beneath the flickering light of a weathered pole, arms crossed tight over her chest, face drawn with tension so sharp it could've cut glass.

Their eyes locked.

Raya's posture faltered, her lips parting like she couldn't quite believe what she was seeing.

Akiko swallowed hard, forcing her feet to move. The usual smirk she leaned on, the armor she wore so easily, faltered under the weight of her breath.

"Hey," she managed softly.

Raya didn't move. Not for a heartbeat. Then she did. Boots crunched against the frost. A blur of motion.

Raya collided with her hard enough to knock the breath from Akiko's lungs. Arms locked tight around her, clinging like she was afraid to let go.

Akiko sank into the hold, eyes fluttering closed. Her arms circled Raya's back, hands trembling as they settled.

"Sorry," she whispered, the word catching in her throat.

Raya pulled back just enough to glare up at her, eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

"Sorry?" Raya's voice cracked like a whip. "Do you have any idea—" Her fists pressed into Akiko's chest, breath hitching. "I waited for hours. Hours. Not knowing if you were dead. And then the alarms started. The explosions. I thought—"

Her voice broke. She bit her lip, fighting to hold it together.

Akiko's throat burned. She reached up, brushing shaking fingers against Raya's cheek. "I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—" She faltered, breath stuttering. "I had to make sure Skadi was safe."

Raya's gaze flicked past her, landing on Skadi. Silent and hunched a few steps back, eyes on the ground.

"Thank you," Raya breathed, softer now. But the tension hadn't left her voice. "But next time… try not to make me think I lost you."

Akiko huffed out a breath, half a laugh, half a sob. "Yeah. I'll try." She hesitated. "But you know me… reckless is kind of my thing."

Raya's glare flickered toward exasperation. "You don't get to joke about this."

Akiko's lips twitched, but she let the smile die on her tongue.

"Fair."

The wind curled around them again, cold and biting. Raya's hands fisted tighter in Akiko's jacket. She leaned forward, resting her forehead against Akiko's chest, breath hitching.

"Just… don't leave me like that again," she whispered.

Akiko's arms tightened around her, jaw clenching against the words she couldn't quite say.

"I'll try," she murmured again. "But I can't promise."

Raya didn't answer. She just pressed closer, like she could anchor them both in that fragile stillness.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.