The forest had grown uneasy. By the third day of their journey, even the wind carried whispers that felt wrong—like voices echoing from far away, too faint to understand yet heavy enough to weigh on the soul.
Iris clung to Luna's hand as they moved, her fingers entwined with hers, needing the reassurance of touch. Luna walked ahead, her posture sharp with awareness. Selene trailed slightly behind, her eyes shifting constantly, not from fear but from calculation, as if she were anticipating where danger would strike.
"Luna," Iris whispered, "you've been tense since yesterday. Did something happen?"
Luna didn't answer at once. She squeezed Iris's hand before finally saying, "The shadows marked the trees. They know where we are."
Selene stopped walking. Her cloak rustled as she turned, her voice grim. "Then they'll strike soon."
"Unless," Luna shot back, "someone led them here."
The accusation hung between them like a blade.
Selene's eyes flashed, but her tone remained steady. "If I wanted you dead, Luna, we wouldn't be standing here arguing."
Iris tugged gently on Luna's arm, her voice soft but firm. "Please. Both of you. We need each other now."
For a moment, silence ruled. Then, from deep in the trees, came the sound of snapping branches. Heavy footsteps. Too many to count.
Luna drew her blade. "It's begun."
They broke into a run, branches whipping past, the shadows closing in behind them. Iris's breath burned in her chest as Luna pulled her along, every step echoing with desperation.
Selene darted ahead, scanning the terrain, before shouting, "This way!" She veered sharply left, leading them down a slope toward a narrow ravine.
"Are you mad?" Luna snarled. "That's a dead end!"
"No—it connects to the stream. Trust me!"
There was no time to argue. They plunged down the slope, loose soil sliding under their boots. Behind them, dark figures emerged between the trees—hooded, faceless, moving unnaturally fast.
Iris stumbled, but Luna caught her, holding her steady with one arm while keeping her sword ready with the other. The protective fury in her eyes nearly made Iris weep.
The ravine narrowed into a rocky path. At the far end, water glittered. Relief surged through Iris—until she saw the figures drop from the cliffs above, cutting off their escape.
"Damn it," Luna cursed under her breath.
Selene stepped forward, pulling a dagger from her cloak. "Stay behind me."
For the first time, Iris saw not just mystery in Selene's stance but skill—her body low, her movements sharp, her eyes focused with a warrior's precision.
The shadows lunged.
Luna met them head-on, her sword clashing against a curved blade that rang like thunder. Sparks flew. She twisted, parried, and struck, every movement a dance of deadly grace.
Selene fought at her side, daggers flashing like silver lightning. She moved with ruthless efficiency, striking not with fury but with purpose, every blow aimed to disable rather than kill.
Iris pressed herself against the ravine wall, her heart pounding as she watched them fight. Her fear was immense—but so was her awe. The two women, so different yet both bound by strength, fought as though they had done this all their lives.
A shadow broke past them, its faceless form rushing toward Iris.
"Iris!" Luna shouted.
Before Iris could scream, Selene's dagger whistled through the air. It struck the shadow square in the chest. The figure dissolved into smoke, vanishing as if it had never been.
Selene turned to her, eyes blazing. "Stay close to Luna."
Iris could only nod, her throat tight.
The battle dragged on, the shadows relentless. For every one that fell, another seemed to rise. Luna's arm bled from a shallow cut, but she fought harder, fury etched into her every motion.
When the last of the figures finally dissolved into mist, silence fell. The three of them stood heaving for breath, the stream bubbling quietly beside them as if nothing had happened.
Luna lowered her blade slowly, her eyes narrowing on Selene. "Where did you learn to fight like that?"
Selene wiped the blood from her dagger with a strip of cloth. "Let's just say I wasn't always wandering alone."
"That's not an answer."
"No," Selene admitted. "But it's the truth you'll get for now."
They made camp by the stream that night, too drained to continue. Luna tended to her wound, hissing softly as Iris wrapped it with cloth.
"You should have let me take the blow," Iris whispered.
Luna shook her head. "Never. I'll take every wound if it keeps you safe."
Iris leaned in, pressing her forehead to Luna's. "Don't you dare leave me behind. Not ever."
Luna's lips brushed hers softly, almost reverently. "Not even death could make me."
Their kiss deepened, the fire of survival mingling with the tenderness of love. For a while, the fear faded, replaced by the warmth of their bodies and the certainty that no shadow could sever their bond.
But Selene's gaze lingered on them from across the fire, unreadable.
Later, when Iris had fallen asleep against Luna's chest, Selene finally spoke.
"You're stronger than I thought," she said quietly.
Luna looked up, her eyes cold. "And you're hiding more than you admit."
Selene didn't deny it. Instead, she whispered, "Your enemies… they aren't just shadows. Someone commands them. Someone who knows you, Luna."
Luna's hand tightened on her blade. "Who?"
Selene hesitated. Her face was caught between loyalty and fear. "I'll tell you when the time is right. But know this—if we don't reach the monastery soon, it won't just be shadows chasing us. It will be the kind of enemy you can't fight with steel alone."
The fire crackled between them, carrying the weight of her words into the night.
Luna said nothing more, but inside her heart raged. She had kept Iris safe this far, but the danger was only growing. And now, with Selene's secrets unraveling, trust was more fragile than ever.
Still, when she looked down at Iris, sleeping peacefully in her arms, Luna made her vow silently once more.
No matter what comes, I will protect her. Even if it costs me everything.