Adrian stormed out of the inn in frustration, slamming the door behind him. The cool morning air hit his face, but it did little to calm the anger bubbling inside him.

How could they have been so careless? Leaving the map—the one thing that could guide them on their journey—in a town that wanted them dead was beyond reckless.

He paced back and forth in front of the inn, thinking of how to retrieve the map without getting caught. The more he thought about it, the more impossible it seemed.

But as much as he wanted to blame Lilith, he knew deep down they were in this mess together.

After a few minutes, the inn's door creaked open, and Lilith stepped out. Her usually confident expression was replaced with one of genuine regret. She approached Adrian cautiously, her hands clasped before her as she tried to gauge his mood.

"Adrian," she began softly in an apologetic tone. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen."

Adrian stopped pacing and looked at her. He was still angry, but not as intense as before. "We can't afford mistakes like this, Lilith," he said in a sharp but not unkind voice. "We're lucky to have gotten out of that town alive, and now we have to go back?"

Lilith nodded, her eyes downcast. "I know. It was careless of me, and I take full responsibility. But we need that map, and I'll do whatever it takes to get it back."

Adrian sighed, running a hand through his hair.

The truth was, he couldn't stay mad at her for long. It wasn'r any of them's fault and he was just looking for who to pour the blame on. "Alright," he said finally. "Let's go back and get the map. But we have to be careful. We can't let them see us."

Lilith's eyes brightened with relief, and she gave him a small, appreciative smile. "Thank you, Adrian. I promise I won't let you down again."

With a plan in mind, they set off toward the town they had so hastily fled the day before. The journey back was tense, both on high alert for any signs of trouble.

As they neared the outskirts of the town, they kept to the shadows, avoiding the main roads and slipping through the alleys to reach the stable where they had left their horse.

The stable was quiet as most of the town dwellers were either out on the field or in the market, unaware of the intruders sneaking back in.

Adrian and Lilith moved silently, their eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger. Finally, they reached the stable, and there, tied to a post, was their horse, calmly munching on hay as if nothing had happened.

Adrian exhaled a sigh of relief and quickly approached the horse, checking the saddlebag where they had stored the map. As he untied the pouch, the map spilled out, along with another parchment.

Adrian's brow furrowed in confusion as he picked up both maps, unrolling them to examine their contents.

The first map was familiar, the one he had received from Kaleb, showing the green and yellow lights that marked their path. But the second map was different—it was filled with several light indicators, each glowing faintly on the parchment.

Lilith's eyes widened when she saw the second map. "Oops," she muttered under her breath, a guilty look flashing across her face.

Adrian turned to her, his frustration returning in full force. "Lilith, what is this? Where did this map come from? And what do these lights represent?"

Lilith hesitated, clearly reluctant to explain. But under Adrian's intense gaze, she knew she couldn't avoid the truth. "It's… mine. I had Kaleb made it," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Adrian's eyes narrowed. "Yours? And what exactly does it lead to?"

Lilith bit her lip, her gaze shifting to the glowing lights on the map. "It leads to my sisters," she finally said.

Adrian stared at her, stunned by her response. "Your sisters?" he repeated, trying to comprehend what she had just said. "You mean the other goddesses? Hera, Persephone, and the rest?"

Lilith nodded reluctantly. Adrian's mind raced with questions, but one stood out. "Were you planning on finding them behind my back? Why keep this a secret?"

Lilith looked away, her eyes downcast as she bit her lip. "Because... you've been so focused on revenge, revenge, revenge," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "Revenge against those who wronged you, against those who invaded your home. I didn't think you'd see my sisters as a priority."

She looked up at him then, her eyes wide with innocence and regret, her lower lip jutting out slightly in a pout. It was a look that could melt even the hardest of hearts, and Adrian found himself struggling to hold onto his frustration.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he tried to process the information. He understood Lilith had her reasons, but he couldn't shake the feeling of being kept in the dark.

"Lilith," he said, softer but firmly, "we're supposed to be partners in this. We're supposed to trust each other. And don't think I've forgotten about the deal to free your sisters."

Lilith's expression softened further, and she stepped closer to him, her hand reaching out to gently touch his arm. "I'm sorry, Adrian," she whispered sincerely. "I should have told you sooner. I didn't mean to keep you in the dark, I just… didn't want to distract you."

Adrian studied her momentarily, his gaze lingering on her earnest expression. Despite everything, he couldn't stay mad at her. The innocence in her eyes, the regret in her voice—it was impossible not to forgive her.

He nodded, his anger finally dissipating. "Alright," he said, folding the maps and tucking them safely into the saddlebag. "We'll figure this out together. But first, we need to get out of here before anyone notices us."

Lilith's face brightened with relief, and she gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you, Adrian," she said softly.

They mounted their horse and left the town, moving quickly to avoid further complications. Once they were a safe distance away, they stopped at a secluded spot to study both maps and get their bearings.

Adrian spread the maps out on the ground, and they knelt to examine them. His eyes quickly found the green light that represented their current position—it pulsed steadily in the forest just outside the town they had just fled.

Lilith crouched beside him, her eyes tracing the lines of the map. "There's us," she murmured, pointing to the green light. "And there's the yellow light," she continued, following a trail to another glowing spot on the map.

But as her eyes focused on the yellow light, her expression grew more serious. "Adrian… look at where it is."

Adrian's gaze sharpened, and his eyes zeroed in on the yellow light. It was blinking, its glow pulsing in a slow, rhythmic pattern that immediately caught his attention. The light wasn't far from their current position.

In fact, it was located directly over the town they had just spent the night in.

His brow furrowed as he studied the map, a sense of unease settling in the pit of his stomach. "That's where we were last night," he said with concern.

"Whoever we're looking for… they're there." Lilith finished.

Adrian frowned, as he considered the options. "I think we'll be seeing Brass tonight again," he said, sounding determined.

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