Eline sat by the small fire, arms crossed, glaring at the man who had ruined everything.
Ethan, completely oblivious to her inner turmoil, casually tore a piece of roasted meat and handed it to her. "Here. Eat."
She stared at it, then at him. This idiot…
She had spent years mastering the art of assassination. Stealth, deception, and precision—her entire existence revolved around the art of death.
And yet, her first real mission outside her guild had gone up in flames.
Mission: Eliminate Ethan Drake.Status: Not only failed, but now being fed by the target.
Her fingers twitched toward her dagger. She could still do it. One clean strike to his throat while he's distracted…
But before she could entertain the thought further, her stomach betrayed her with a loud growl.
Ethan raised a brow. "That was aggressive."
Eline clenched her jaw. Kill me now.
With a sigh, she snatched the food from his hand, biting into it with more force than necessary. Ethan just smirked, leaning back against the cave wall.
"See? Not so hard," he mused.
Eline glared at him. "You're an idiot."
He shrugged. "People say that a lot."
Her grip tightened on her food. Does this guy ever stop smiling?
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The fire crackled, casting flickering shadows on the cave walls. Outside, the night was alive with distant roars of beasts.
Eline finished eating and wiped her mouth, turning to Ethan with a hardened gaze. "Why are you helping me?"
Ethan tilted his head. "You were injured."
"That's not an answer," she snapped.
He chuckled. "I don't see a reason to kill you."
Eline clenched her fists. "I tried to assassinate you."
Ethan waved it off like she had spilled water on his shirt. "Yeah, but you failed."
Her eye twitched. He says it so casually…
"And since you failed," Ethan continued, "we're basically even now."
"…That's not how it works."
"Well, that's how I see it." He smirked. "Besides, I'd rather have a conversation than kill someone for no reason."
Eline fell silent.
She had expected anger. Retribution. Maybe even mockery for failing so miserably.
But this? This was completely out of her calculations.
She exhaled slowly. "You're an idiot," she muttered again.
Ethan simply grinned.
—BANG!
The distant sound of an explosion interrupted their conversation.
Ethan's head snapped toward the cave entrance, his instincts sharpening. Eline immediately grabbed her daggers, senses on high alert.
"Looks like trouble," Ethan muttered, cracking his knuckles.
Eline narrowed her eyes. "What now?"
Instead of answering, Ethan stood up and stepped toward the cave's entrance. The sky outside was tinted with an ominous red glow.
And then, a chilling voice echoed through the air.
"Ethan Drake… come out."
Ethan smirked. "Finally. I was getting bored."
Eline, on the other hand, felt a sinking feeling in her stomach.
That voice… she knew it.
And it meant trouble.
To be continued…