Arthur didn't even bother to look surprised. He tilted his mug back, took a slow sip, then set it down with a sigh.
"Of course. Every time I try to have a normal conversation, strangers just… spawn in."
The silver-eyed girl smirked faintly, swirling the cider in her mug. "Maybe you should talk quieter."
Arthur arched a brow. "Maybe you should mind your own business."
The boy with her leaned in, his grin widening. "Relax. No harm in teaming up. Four's better than two, right?"
Lucan's eyes flicked between them. His gut twisted. Something about the way the tall one smiled felt… off. Too easy. Too eager.
Arthur, meanwhile, leaned back in his chair like this was the best free entertainment he'd had in weeks. "You know, Jack, desperate offers like that usually mean you're hiding something."
The boy, Jack, froze for half a heartbeat before forcing a laugh. "Hiding? Nah. I'm just saying, ruins are dangerous. You'll need help."
"Funny," Arthur said, resting his chin on his hand. "Because from where I'm sitting, you look like the type who'd trip over his own sword before making it past the gate."
Selene studied him carefully.
"You know our names."
Arthur's grin sharpened. "Sharp ears. Perks of eavesdropping while pretending to drink."
The girl's silver eyes lingered on him, then shifted toward Lucan.
Unlike Jack, there was no forced grin. Just curiosity.
"You're not from here," she said softly, almost to herself.
Lucan stiffened but stayed quiet.
Arthur answered for him. "Sharp, isn't she? You two are like a matching set—one talks too much, the other stares holes in people."
Selene's lips curved into the faintest smirk, while Jack rolled his eyes.
"Look," Jack said, leaning forward, "you want the ruins, we want the ruins. We can either work together, or—"
"Or you can follow us," Arthur interrupted, "from a safe distance, while we 'accidentally' lose you in the caves. Sound good?"
Jack's grin faltered.
Selene chuckled under her breath.
Lucan, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke—his voice low, cold, cutting right through the table's noise.
"If you slow us down, you'll regret it."
For a moment, the laughter and bravado stopped. Even Arthur tilted his head, clearly impressed. Jack swallowed, his grin flickering before returning, thinner this time.
Arthur broke the tension with a clap of his hands. "Well. This'll be fun. Four strangers walking into certain death together. What could possibly go wrong?"
Selene's eyes gleamed like she knew exactly what could.
Jack just leaned back, still smiling, but his fingers tapped restlessly against the wood.
Lucan touched the charm at his neck, the weight of it grounding him.
He didn't trust them.
He barely trusted Arthur.
But for now, the path forward meant the ruins. And the ruins meant survival.
Tomorrow, the caves would decide who walked out.
Arthur leaned forward, smirking.
"Tomorrow dawn. We meet here. Don't be late."