Morgana screamed straight into Moriana's face."Move, bitch! Don't you see I'm naked?!"
Inside the inn, Gord's attention snapped toward the sound.Not just the shouting—something in the voice itself scraped wrong against his instincts.
Morgana's figure crossed his line of sight through the doorway just as Zarius was murmuring to Yulia.
Gord took two deliberate steps forward while Zarius was still talking.
"We have to consider every scenario," Zarius said."We don't know—there could still be more at—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
"What's wrong, Gord?"
Gord didn't answer.
Zarius half rose from his chair, tension snapping through his posture."Hey. Answer me."
As Gord neared the door, he replied flatly, like he was stating the weather."There's a hairy woman outside."
He stepped out.
Zarius moved to the window and leaned forward.
From behind, he saw her clearly—thick, wild hair cascading down her back, long enough to cover the lower half of her ass.
"Goddamn," he muttered."Where the hell did this thing come from?"
Outside, Moriana hadn't moved.
She sat frozen, eyes stretched wide, staring at Morgana like she was watching a memory crawl out of a grave.
Morgana calmly sat down beside her.
"So," she said, voice almost gentle,"did you finally recognize me?"
Moriana was barely holding herself together, every ounce of focus locked on choking her Exim back inside.Her breath came ragged, shallow.She turned her face away.
"Get… away… from me."
Morgana reached over, slid Moriana's left arm out of her coat, then pulled the fabric around herself, pressing her bare body tightly against Moriana's beneath it.
"Relax," Morgana murmured."You can let it flow if you're scared of me, don't you?"
Footsteps scraped against stone.
Gord was close now. Just a few steps away.
Morgana clicked her tongue, biting her lower lip in annoyance."Tsk… what a pain in the ass."
Gord approached with steady, controlled strides.
Moriana screamed, her voice cracking, tears clinging to her lashes."Back off! Don't come any closer!"
She folded in on herself, head buried in her hands—like if she couldn't see it, it wouldn't happen.
Gord ignored her.
When he was one step away, his voice snapped—"You filthy bitch, get away from—"
The sentence died with him.
No impact.No sound.
In less than a heartbeat, Gord collapsed into nothing—bones, dust, scraps of cloth—his remains fusing into the ground as if he'd never been flesh at all.
For a fraction of a second, the world froze.
Zarius's breath caught.
His eyes locked on the empty space where Gord had been—waiting, stupidly, for him to move.
"…Gord?"The word slipped out before he realized he'd said it.
Morgana smiled.
Then she laughed.
A warped, delighted laugh that twisted in her throat.
"What?!" she said, amused."Have you lost your mind?"
Her head tilted as she looked down at Moriana."You just killed your own companion."
The laughter stopped mid-breath.
Her voice went dead cold.
She grabbed Moriana's chin between thumb and forefinger, forcing her face up, smiling directly into her bronze, tear-filled eyes.
"It's fine, sweetheart," she whispered."Just let it go."
Her smile sharpened.
"Aren't you afraid it'll burst inside you?"
Then, casually—cruelly—"Stop holding it in like you're holding in your shit."
Moriana couldn't move.
Her body shook violently, veins bulging beneath flushed skin.Tears streamed freely from her blood-red eyes.Her breathing fractured, terrified to exhale—terrified of what would follow.
She finally forced words out, barely sound."Please… stop… this…"
Morgana's smile softened mockingly."Hm? Did you say something?"
She leaned closer, lips brushing Moriana's ear.
"Come on," she whispered."Say it again. I'll listen."
Moriana swallowed hard, her voice trembling against Morgana's ear."Please… let's… finish this… somewhere else…"
Across the inn, Zarius stood frozen, hands half-raised without knowing why—still staring at what was left of Gord.
Behind him, Yulia called out, confused,"Hey, half-breed… what's going on out there?"
Morgana whispered back, amused,"Finish what, exactly?"
She took Moriana's earlobe into her mouth.
Moriana stiffened—every muscle locking, breath caught halfway in.
Then Morgana bit down.
Teeth tore flesh.
Blood ran down Moriana's neck as her body jerked violently, a strangled sound trapped deep in her chest.
Another Exim wave detonated—stronger—ripping outward and slamming all the way into the inn's door, rattling wood and glass.
Morgana bit her again. Deeper.
Inside, Zarius felt it instantly.
The same wrong pressure.The same cursed force.
The same night—when Moriana's Exim had slipped loose in her sleep.
"Shit—"
He moved on instinct, lunging forward and grabbing Yulia, hauling her into his arms.
She struggled weakly, panic rising."Hey! Stop! Where the hell are you taking me?! What happened to Mori?!"
Zarius didn't answer.
He headed straight for the back door.