"Oh, fuck…"

Lilith's smirk vanished as she also read the content of the letter. "Fuck is right," Lilith whispered.

Selene, sensing the shift in energy, leaned closer, her heart pounding as Lilith handed her the letter. Her usual serene expression slowly morphed into one of shock as she scanned the words, her voice faltering slightly when she began to read it aloud:

"Lord Adrian, I wish to say it's good to hear from you, but I bear bad news. The kingdom of Zarpha, where you are at the moment—there's a village about three days away, Brenden, where heavy Shadow Court activity has been reported. If I hear of any new developments, I will bring it to your notice.

—Count Zack."

The weight of Zack's message settled over the room like a thick fog.

The mention of the Shadow Court, especially in such close proximity, left a lingering tension in the air. Lilith and Selene exchanged uneasy glances, knowing the implications of this message.

Ava broke the silence first, her usual confidence gone, replaced by something much more serious. "We need to find Adrian," she declared in a voice lower and graver than usual. Her fingers drummed on the bedpost as she considered the letter's weight.

Selene nodded, her brow furrowed in concern. "Yes, we can't waste time. We should—"

Ava interrupted, her expression shifting back to her usual business-like demeanor. "After I return from the market with my profits though."

The casual way Ava tacked that on made both Selene and Lilith blink. Lilith's face shifted from shock to incredulity, her lips curling into a mix of amusement and exasperation.

"What do you mean, after you return from the market?" she asked, her tone sharpened with disbelief. "Are your profits more important than Adrian's safety?"

Ava shot her a side-eye, arms crossed. "I'm not saying they're more important, but business is business. If I don't pick up those profits now, we're out a lot of coin. Besides, Adrian can handle himself—he's dealt with worse."

Lilith scoffed, standing up from the bed and placing her hands on her hips. "Gods, Ava! We're talking about the Shadow Court. These aren't some market scoundrels you're haggling with. I know you love your coins, but this is serious. We need to be serious."

Ava rolled her eyes, her tone hardening. "And I'm serious about me not being cheated. Today is the due day most of the merchants under me are to pay up their interests, Lilith. You know that those profits also belong to Adrian. So, yes, I'm going to the market. We'll find Adrian right after."

Lilith's eyes flared. "You know, for someone so obsessed with money, you sure are blind to the bigger picture sometimes! The Shadow Court isn't going to care how much gold you've got when they show up."

Ava took a step closer, narrowing her gaze. "Don't act like you care more than I do, Lilith. You're just pissed because you can't control this situation."

The tension between them rose, like a taut wire ready to snap. Selene, standing in the middle of the rising storm, raised her hands in a futile attempt to ease the brewing argument. "Let's not—"

But they didn't hear her.

Lilith moved closer, her eyes flashing dangerously. "If it were up to me, we'd be halfway to Brenden by now! You're stalling for something that won't matter if the Shadow Court burns this kingdom to the ground."

Ava didn't flinch; her jaw set with defiance. "And if we rush in without thinking, we'll be exactly where the Shadow Court wants us—unprepared and vulnerable. We need to be strategic, not reckless. That's how we win."

"Strategic?" Lilith's voice dripped with sarcasm, a chuckle escaping her lips. "Is that what you're calling it? Or is it just greed driving your decisions?"

Selene, now caught in the middle, felt her usual calm cracking under the pressure of their heated exchange. Her heart was pounding as she tried to speak over them. "We need to—"

"I'm thinking about the long-term, Lilith!" Ava snapped back, her voice rising. "Something you wouldn't know about because you're always chasing the next thrill!"

Lilith stepped even closer, her lips curling into a snarl. "And you're always chasing the next coin!"

"STOP IT!" Selene's voice exploded through the room like a thunderclap, startling both Lilith and Ava. They turned to face her, wide-eyed at her sudden outburst.

Selene who was always the calmest among them, now stood with her fists clenched, her usually soft features tight with frustration.

"This isn't the time for petty arguments," she continued, her voice steady but fierce. "Adrian is out there, and we're here fighting over who's right. We don't have time for this. We need to focus, together."

A heavy silence followed Selene's words, the gravity of the situation pulling them back from the brink of their argument. Lilith's eyes softened slightly, and Ava let out a slow breath, some of her tension easing.

Selene's words hung in the air, and the three women stood in tense silence for a moment, exchanging glances. Finally, Ava sighed, running a hand through her hair, her earlier stubbornness fading.

"Fine," Ava conceded, her tone still firm. "We'll go find Adrian, but first, let's head to the market and handle business. It won't take long, and then we can make our way to Brenden. We don't need to return to the palace."

Lilith raised an eyebrow, her hands resting on her hips. "Carrying that much coin on the road is risky, Ava. You might want to reconsider before you bring a target to your back."

Ava smirked, her confidence returning. "I can handle myself, Lilith. Besides, I'm not leaving all that profit behind just because we're in a rush."

Selene, ever the voice of reason, nodded. "The market is on the way. We can stop there briefly and then head out. As long as we move quickly, we'll make it in time." She glanced between the two women, ensuring they both agreed.

Lilith sighed dramatically but relented. "Alright, fine. But don't say I didn't warn you if we run into trouble."

With that decision made, they hurried through the palace corridors, their minds focused on the tasks ahead.

Ava's steps were quick and determined, her thoughts already on the coins waiting for her at the market, while Lilith remained slightly on edge, ever watchful of potential dangers that could spring up at any moment.

As they moved, Lilith glanced at Ava with a teasing grin. "You do know we'll have to tell Adrian everything, right? He's going to lose it when he finds out we opened his letter."

Ava shrugged, unfazed. "He'll thank us when it turns out we saved his ass."

Selene, walking beside them, smiled gently. "Let's just focus on finding him before things get worse."

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