The world was quiet again.
Too quiet.
Iris blinked against the darkness, her ears still ringing from the shrieks of the wraiths. Her body felt like it wasn't her own—aching, heavy, every muscle trembling from the effort of standing when all she wanted was to collapse.
Beside her, Luna's arm wrapped around her waist, steady and strong, holding her upright. The dagger in Luna's hand was stained, her knuckles white from how hard she gripped it, but her other hand never left Iris's side.
Selene walked a step ahead, silent, sword sheathed once more, her cloak torn, her hair in disarray. She hadn't spoken since the battle ended.
The three of them stumbled into a small clearing where the moonlight broke through the canopy, illuminating a patch of soft grass. Luna lowered Iris carefully, kneeling with her, brushing soot from her cheek with trembling fingers.
"You're hurt," Luna whispered.
Iris looked at her sleeve—blood from the wraith's claws had seeped into the fabric, though the wound itself wasn't deep. She tried to smile, to soothe the fear in Luna's eyes. "It looks worse than it is."
"That doesn't matter." Luna's voice cracked, raw. "I almost lost you."
---
Selene Withdraws
Selene turned away, scanning the treeline with restless eyes. She hadn't even cleaned her blade, hadn't bound the small gash on her temple. It was as if she didn't feel the pain—or refused to acknowledge it.
"Selene," Iris said softly.
The woman didn't look back. Her shoulders were rigid, her hands clenched at her sides.
Luna's eyes darkened. "She's shutting us out again."
But Iris shook her head. She had seen something in Selene's face during the battle—something fractured. That voice… Seraphine. Whoever she truly was, her words had cut Selene to the bone.
"We'll give her time," Iris murmured.
---
The Weight of Survival
The adrenaline faded, leaving only exhaustion. Luna finally allowed herself to sit beside Iris, her head falling to rest against her shoulder. For a long time, they didn't speak. The silence wasn't empty—it was heavy, full of everything they had just endured, everything they feared to name.
Iris's hand found Luna's, their fingers tangling together.
"Thank you," Iris whispered.
"For what?"
"For keeping me alive. For believing in me."
Luna lifted her head, meeting Iris's gaze. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. "You kept us alive, Iris. You. The light you created—it turned the tide."
Iris shook her head, embarrassed. "I didn't even know I could do it. I just… drew. Because I had to."
"Because you're extraordinary." Luna's voice was steady now, certain. She cupped Iris's cheek, thumb brushing the corner of her mouth. "You don't even see how strong you are, do you?"
The words melted Iris's defenses, leaving her raw. "I was terrified."
"So was I." Luna leaned closer, pressing her forehead to Iris's. "But I'd rather be terrified with you than brave without you."
---
A Kiss in the Quiet
The world fell away—the forest, the battle, even the looming threat of the Woman in Black. For that moment, there was only the two of them.
Iris tilted her head, her lips brushing Luna's. Soft at first, tentative, as though both of them were afraid to shatter the fragile silence. But then Luna deepened the kiss, one hand sliding into Iris's hair, holding her as though she might vanish.
Iris's heart raced, her body melting into Luna's warmth. The kiss was desperate and tender all at once—a reminder that they were alive, that love still burned even when the shadows closed in.
When they parted, breathless, Luna rested her forehead against Iris's again. "I don't care what comes next. I just need you with me."
"You have me," Iris whispered. "Always."
---
Selene's Silence
The intimacy of their moment didn't go unnoticed. When Iris glanced toward Selene, the older woman stood at the edge of the clearing, half in shadow, her expression unreadable.
She wasn't watching them—not exactly. Her gaze was distant, as though she was staring at something far beyond the trees.
Iris's chest tightened. Selene looked… lonely.
Before she could rise, Luna's hand tightened on hers. "Not now," she murmured.
Iris nodded reluctantly. But in her heart, she knew—they couldn't leave Selene drowning in silence forever.
---
Tending Wounds
The practicalities of survival returned with the dawn.
Luna insisted on tending Iris's wound, carefully cleaning the shallow cut and binding it with a strip of her own cloak. Her hands shook at first, but her touch was gentle, reverent, as though each brush of her fingers was an unspoken vow.
"You've saved me too many times already," Iris said with a small laugh, trying to lighten the heaviness.
"And I'll save you a thousand more," Luna replied firmly.
Iris caught her hand, holding it against her chest. "You don't have to carry everything alone, Luna. I can fight too. Maybe not with blades, but with what I have."
Luna's eyes softened. "I know. And I'm learning to let you."
---
Selene Finally Speaks
It wasn't until the sun had fully risen that Selene finally broke her silence.
"We can't linger here," she said flatly, her voice hoarse. "The shadows will return. They always do."
Luna bristled. "You need rest, Selene. We all do."
But Selene turned, her eyes burning with something sharp. "Rest will not stop her."
Her. The Woman in Black. Seraphine's shadow.
Iris stood slowly, her knees still weak, and met Selene's gaze. "She spoke to you. In the battle. It wasn't just an illusion, was it?"
Selene's jaw tightened. For a moment, Iris thought she wouldn't answer. But then—
"No. It was her. Seraphine."
The name hung in the air, heavy and dangerous.
Luna stiffened. "Who is she to you?"
Selene's eyes darkened, her voice barely above a whisper. "The only person I ever failed to protect. And the one who never forgave me for it."
---
Shared Resolve
The silence that followed was suffocating. Iris reached for Luna's hand, squeezing it, then looked at Selene.
"Then we don't let her win," Iris said, surprising herself with the steel in her voice. "She wants to break us, to make us doubt each other. But we're still here. We're together."
Selene looked at her, really looked, and for the first time since Iris had met her, the mask cracked. Pain flickered in her eyes—but also, faintly, hope.
"You speak as though love is a weapon," Selene murmured.
"Maybe it is," Iris said softly. She glanced at Luna, her lips curving in a small, fierce smile. "It's kept us alive this far."
Luna's grip tightened, her voice steady. "Then it'll keep us alive to the end."
---
Closing Scene
As they prepared to move again, Iris slipped her sketchbook back into her satchel. Her hands still trembled, but when she touched the worn cover, she felt a spark of quiet determination.
Her art had saved them once. Perhaps it could again.
Luna adjusted her cloak around Iris's shoulders, brushing a kiss to her temple before whispering, "We'll find a way. I promise."
Selene walked ahead, her figure rigid but no longer entirely closed off. For the first time, Iris thought she saw a fragile thread connecting the three of them—not trust, not yet, but something close.
The forest stretched endlessly before them, the shadows still lingering at its edges. But as the sun rose higher, Iris held onto Luna's hand, and together, they walked into the uncertain light.
For now, that was enough.