"Never thought I'd say this," the dwarf grumbled when Apollo approached later, offering him a full waterskin, "but it seems I owe you my thanks. Whatever that bow is, it saved our hides tonight."
"We saved each other," Apollo replied, accepting the grudging gratitude with a nod. "As we have since this journey began."
Thorin grunted, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. "Just remember," he added, his voice lowered, "a tool is only as trustworthy as the hand that wields it. And I'm still deciding about that hand, stranger."
The night deepened around them. Cale had gathered several of them near the sanctuary's edge, pointing out patterns in the ancient runes that matched fragments he'd studied in forgotten temples.
"These sanctuaries were part of a network," he explained, his scholar's enthusiasm briefly overcoming his exhaustion. "Built to create safe passages through corrupted lands. But they're failing, one by one. I doubt we'll find another intact one after this."
