The forest was eerily silent. Caleb crouched by the stream, his gun steady in his hands as his eyes scanned the shadows. Beside him, Evelyn sat motionless, her knife resting loosely in her grip. Her gaze was fixed on the tree line, her expression unreadable.

“How long are we supposed to wait?” Caleb whispered, his voice low.

“As long as it takes,” Evelyn replied.

Caleb frowned. “You’re really banking on Carter showing up, aren’t you?”

“He will,” Evelyn said simply.

Caleb let out a quiet huff. “You seem awfully confident for someone who was ready to stab him twenty minutes ago.”

Evelyn glanced at him, her green eyes sharp. “Carter doesn’t leave loose ends. If he’s alive, he’ll find us.”

“And if he’s not?” Caleb pressed.

Evelyn didn’t answer.

The minutes dragged on, the stillness of the forest pressing down on Caleb like a weight. His mind raced as he replayed the events of the night, trying to piece together the truth behind Evelyn and Carter’s tangled past.

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“So,” Caleb said finally, breaking the silence. “You and Carter. How far back does this go?”

Evelyn’s gaze didn’t waver from the trees. “I told you. We crossed paths.”

“Right,” Caleb said, his tone skeptical. “Because people just happen to cross paths when they’re chasing ancient death cults and mythical keys.”

Evelyn’s jaw tightened slightly, but she didn’t respond.

“Let me guess,” Caleb continued. “He was the one who got you exiled from the Keepers.”

Evelyn’s head snapped toward him, her eyes narrowing. “What did you say?”

Caleb shrugged, his tone deliberately casual. “It makes sense. He’s a mercenary. You’re a Keeper. He probably got too close, you didn’t want to clean up the mess, and suddenly you’re the one they don’t trust anymore.”

Evelyn’s grip on her knife tightened, but her voice was calm when she spoke. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t I?” Caleb said, his gaze steady. “Because from where I’m sitting, it looks like Carter’s been a thorn in your side for a lot longer than you’re willing to admit.”

Evelyn opened her mouth to respond, but a faint sound in the distance cut her off.

The crunch of footsteps on dirt was deliberate, unhurried. Caleb tensed, his gun raising slightly as he peered through the trees. Beside him, Evelyn stood, her knife glinting faintly in the moonlight.

“Relax,” a voice called from the shadows. “It’s just me.”

Carter stepped into view, his jacket muddy and his face smeared with dirt, but his smirk was as infuriatingly intact as ever.

“Told you I’d make it,” Carter said, his tone light.

Evelyn didn’t lower her knife. “What took you so long?”

“Had to shake a few persistent admirers,” Carter replied, brushing a leaf off his sleeve. “You’re welcome, by the way.”

“For what?” Caleb asked, his tone flat.

“For giving you two a head start,” Carter said, raising an eyebrow. “If it weren’t for me, you’d be the ones surrounded right now.”