A moment of trust

Jasmine's grip tightened on the hilt of her sword as she studied the young woman standing before them. Lira's eyes were wide with fear, but there was something else there, too—desperation, maybe even determination. It was hard to tell. Jasmine had learned the hard way that fear could be a mask for many things, including betrayal.

Caden hadn't lowered his sword either, his stance still tense and ready for a fight. The silence between them stretched, thick and suffocating, broken only by the sound of the wind rustling through the trees.

"You expect us to believe you?" Caden asked, his voice sharp. "After you've been hiding in the shadows, listening in on our conversations?"

Lira shook her head, her hands still raised in a gesture of surrender. "I wasn't hiding. I've been trying to find you for days, following your trail. If I had wanted to attack you, I would have done it already."

Jasmine exchanged a quick glance with Caden. Her instincts screamed at her to be cautious. Trust was a rare commodity in their world, especially now, with betrayal lurking behind every corner. Yet something about Lira's expression, her trembling voice, gave Jasmine pause.

"What do you know about the shadow?" Jasmine asked, her voice steady but edged with suspicion.

Lira's shoulders sagged with relief that Jasmine was willing to listen, even for a moment. She lowered her hands but kept her distance. "He's more than just a soldier or a spy. He's a weapon the king created—a man who answers to no one but the crown. His loyalty is absolute, and his reach is terrifying. The stories you've heard… they don't even scratch the surface."

Caden narrowed his eyes, stepping closer. "What stories?"

Lira hesitated, glancing between them. "The rumors say he can move unseen, strike without warning, and he's never failed a mission. Some say he's not even human anymore—he's something darker, something unnatural."

Jasmine felt a chill run down her spine. She had heard whispers of such things before, tales passed from one terrified villager to the next. But they had always been just that—stories. Myths told to keep children from wandering too far from home.

"You're saying he's after us?" Jasmine asked, though deep down, she already knew the answer.

Lira nodded. "You've become a threat. The king knows you have the letter, and now that you've made your first strike against his forces, he's taking no chances. He's sent the shadow to hunt you down, and when he finds you…" Her voice trailed off, the unspoken threat lingering in the air.

For a long moment, no one spoke. The weight of Lira's words settled over them, a grim reminder of the danger they were walking into. The shadow wasn't just a rumor anymore—it was real, and it was coming for them.

Caden lowered his sword slightly, though his expression remained hard. "Why help us? If he's as dangerous as you say, why risk getting involved?"

Lira's gaze faltered, her hands dropping to her sides. "Because I've seen what he can do. He destroyed my village, my family, without hesitation. We weren't even part of the rebellion—we were just in the way." Her voice cracked, and for a moment, the mask of control she had been holding onto slipped, revealing the pain beneath. "I can't let him do that to anyone else."

Jasmine's heart clenched at the raw emotion in Lira's voice. She knew that kind of loss too well. The destruction of her own village, the lives torn apart, all for the king's selfish desire for control. If Lira had suffered the same, she could understand why she would want to stop the shadow—why she would risk everything to join them.

Caden's eyes softened, though his voice remained wary. "You want revenge."

Lira straightened, her expression hardening again. "I want to stop him before he destroys anyone else. If that means revenge, then so be it."

Silence fell between them once more, and Jasmine could feel the tension in the air, the uncertainty that still lingered. Trust was a fragile thing, and they had little reason to offer it freely, especially now. But as Jasmine looked at Lira—at the pain in her eyes, the quiet determination in her stance—she found herself wanting to believe her.

"We can't do this alone, Caden," Jasmine said quietly, glancing at him. "If what she says is true, we'll need all the help we can get."

Caden frowned, his gaze shifting between Jasmine and Lira. She could see the conflict in his eyes, the struggle between caution and necessity. He had always been slow to trust, even before the war, and now that their lives were on the line, that reluctance had only grown stronger.

But Jasmine knew that they couldn't afford to push everyone away. Not anymore. They were fighting a war with limited resources and too few allies. Every day brought them closer to danger, and without more people on their side, they wouldn't last long.

Finally, Caden let out a heavy sigh, sheathing his sword. "Fine. But if you so much as think about betraying us, I'll make sure the shadow's the least of your problems."

Lira nodded, her expression resolute. "I'm not here to betray you. I'm here to help."

Jasmine felt a small flicker of relief, though the tension in her chest didn't fully ease. Trust might have been extended, but it was still fragile, a thin thread that could snap at any moment. She hoped Lira was telling the truth, but in the back of her mind, doubt remained.

"We need to keep moving," Jasmine said, glancing at the sky. The sun was beginning to dip lower, casting a warm golden light through the trees. "We still have a long way to go before we reach the village."

Caden nodded, adjusting his pack as he stepped back onto the path. Lira fell in behind them, her steps careful and quiet, as though she was still afraid of being watched. Jasmine glanced over her shoulder at the girl, wondering how much of her story was true, and how much was still hidden in the shadows.

As they walked, the road ahead seemed even more uncertain. But for the first time in a long while, Jasmine felt a glimmer of hope. They weren't alone anymore. Whether that was a blessing or a curse, only time would tell.