Later that day, after gathering supplies from the manor, Adrian, Lilith, and Medea prepared to set off on the next leg of their journey. The air was kind of warm, and the sun hung low in the sky as they packed the last of their provisions onto the horses.

Lilith, in her usual playful fashion, lingered near her puppet soldier—the unfortunate man she had ensnared with her power back in the barracks. He stood at attention with an emotionless face, waiting for her next command.

"Well, darling," Lilith purred, running a finger along the puppet's jawline, "it seems our time together has come to an end." She gave him a playful smirk, but then her tone softened slightly. "You've been such a good little toy. So, what will it be? Stay here in the manor and live out your days in blissful ignorance, or return to the barracks and resume your life?"

The puppet soldier blinked, his eyes briefly flickering with confusion before settling back into the vacant stare of someone under her influence. Lilith sighed dramatically, waving her hand. "Oh, fine. Go back to the barracks, then. You're free now."

The invisible chains binding him to her will dissolved, and the soldier stumbled slightly as if waking from a dream. He looked around, disoriented but relieved, before bowing to Lilith one last time.

Without another word, he turned and walked away, heading back to the barracks.

Adrian watched the exchange with mild amusement, adjusting the reins on his horse. "You almost seemed sad to let him go."

Lilith sauntered over to him, her grin widening. "Sad? Please. I just like to make sure my toys know they're appreciated. Besides," she added, sliding onto the horse behind Adrian, "I've got a much more fun plaything to keep me company now." She pressed her body against his back, her arms wrapping around his waist as she nuzzled against his neck. "And he's a lot more fun."

Adrian chuckled, shaking his head. "You never stop, do you?"

"Not when I'm having fun," Lilith replied with a wink.

Medea, already seated on her own horse, remained silent as she watched the interaction. Her dark eyes flickered with mild disapproval, but she said nothing. She adjusted the reins and rode ahead, her focus entirely on the path before them.

They rode in relative silence for a few hours, following the map in their possession.

The winding roads led them away from the safety of the manor and deeper into the wilderness. The sky darkened, and soon, they found themselves surrounded by thick trees, the sounds of night creatures stirring in the underbrush.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a pale twilight glow over the landscape, they decided to set up camp for the night. The Count's staff had provided them with sleeping bags and rations, and Adrian quickly built a small fire to ward off the night's chill.

They sat around the fire, the warmth of the flames flickering in the cool evening air. The smell of roasting meat filled the campsite as they ate in relative silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

Lilith, predictably, was the first to break the quiet. She leaned back, stretching her arms above her head, her long hair spilling over her shoulders.

"You know," she began with a sly grin, "this whole 'mission to free my sisters and take down the Shadow Court' thing is all very noble and all, but don't you think we could use a little more fun along the way?"

Adrian raised an eyebrow, sensing the mischief in her tone. "What exactly are you suggesting?"

Lilith shrugged, taking a bite of her food. "I'm just saying, we've been through a lot of stress lately. We could use a bit of… relaxation. After all, life's too short to be so serious all the time." She shot Adrian a teasing smile. "I mean, we could always go for a midnight swim—or something a little more exciting."

Adrian smirked. "I'm sure you have all kinds of ideas for excitement."

Lilith grinned wickedly. "Oh, you have no idea."

Medea rolled her eyes, but there was a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Lilith, if you focused half as much on the mission as you do on your… extracurricular activities, we might actually get somewhere."

Lilith laughed, unabashed. "Oh, Medea. You know you love me."

The bickering went on between the two goddesses for a while and after their dinner, Adrian sat with his back against a fallen log, relaxing. Lilith, ever the flirt, lounged next to him, her body angled toward his with a lazy, sensual grace.

She stretched, letting out a satisfied sigh, before glancing over at Adrian with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "Darling, do you remember that man from Nantucket?" she asked suddenly in a teasing tone.

Adrian raised an eyebrow, already sensing where this was going. "I have a feeling I know what you're about to say," he replied with a smirk. "But go on, indulge me."

Lilith grinned wider, clearly pleased with herself. "Oh, I have something even better tonight." She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a playful whisper as she began: There once was a beauty from Peru, whose favorite color was blue. She said with a smirk, 'This dress is a perk, but nothing feels better than nude!'"

Adrian chuckled, shaking his head as he looked at her. "And let me guess—this girl from Peru isn't actually you?"

Lilith winked, a sly grin spreading across her lips. "Well, for starters, I'm not from Peru," she admitted, "and blue is definitely not my favorite color. But…" Her eyes glinted with amusement. "I do agree that nothing feels better than going nude."

Adrian laughed, the tension from the day melting away in the warmth of her humor. "I should've known. You never miss a chance to bring that up."

"Of course," Lilith purred, leaning in closer. "It's one of life's simplest joys, after all."

Across from them, Medea sat with her arms crossed, her eyes fixed on the flames as though entirely ignoring the banter. But even she couldn't suppress the faintest flicker of a smile, though she quickly hid it behind her usual composed expression.

Adrian, shaking his head with amusement, stood and tossed the remaining wood onto the fire. "We should get some rest," he said, his voice low. "Tomorrow's another long day."

They took their sleeping positions and Lilith wasted no time in curling up against Adrian's chest, her head resting comfortably over his heart. Her hand, unsurprisingly, found its way to his hnad, and before long, her she brought it to rest on her boobs.

Adrian sighed but didn't protest.

He was used to Lilith's forwardness by now, and there was something oddly comforting about her presence, even if she was the most unpredictable companion he had ever known.

Medea, ever composed, took the other side of the camp, lying down with her back to the fire. The night was quiet, save for the occasional rustling of leaves and the distant call of an owl.

Adrian's eyes grew heavy as sleep began to claim him, his body warm under the shared heat of Lilith's form.

The next morning, Adrian awoke to the sound of rustling fabric and the sensation of a stern gaze fixed on him. He blinked his eyes open to find Medea standing over him, her arms folded across her chest, her expression unreadable.

"What's wrong?" Adrian asked, his voice still groggy with sleep.

Medea's gaze didn't waver. "It's time to train," she said bluntly. "If you're going to face the Shadow Court and become a force to be reckoned with, then you need to start learning."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.