ch step. A heavy mist clung to the craggy landscape, obscuring their path and muffling sound. The Pe

path. His casual demeanor grated on Lirael's nerves. She couldn't understand how he

usly?" Lirael asked, her tone sh

hilt of his sword. "Of course. I take surviva

is games. The Veil was somewhere in these mountains, and every moment

h it a faint, mournful wail. Lirael paused, her

hat?" she asked

narrowing as he listened. "Yeah

l's heart quickened. She glanced over her should

," she said, qui

p his sword more firmly. The mist seemed to t

irael's chest tightened, and she fought to keep her breathing steady. She had faced dange

d suddenly, his voic

he mist. It was humanoid, but its features were indistinct, its form

elen muttered, drawin

hing through the air. Lirael dodged, her blade slicing through the creature's for

light as he struck the wraith from behind. The creature let

's not the last of them," she said, her voice stead

the mist for any sign of movement

st of the mountain's treacherous passes. The narrow path wound along the ed

he path ahead. Behind him, Sir Alden and the other knights moved

ght," Alden muttered, his v

n for their danger, but the silence was unner

small plateau. Finn paused, his hand inst

den asked, stepp

faint shimmer in the air, like heat rising from stone.

," Finn said fina

her hair a cascade of silver that seemed to glow in the dim light. Her eyes wer

emanded, his hand tig

o warmth in it. "You are far from ho

en blade gleaming in the fain

ld react, a wave of energy slammed into him, knocking him back. H

ged at the woman. But she moved with inhuman speed, her hands g

ng on his sword. "Fall back!" he ordered, his voic

to regroup. The woman watched them with an

ice echoing unnaturally. "But you do

r, his sword rais

nt, her gaze turned cold. "A shadow of

vanished, leaving behind only t

m, his expression g

s sword, his jaw

cave, its entrance concealed by overhanging rocks. A small fir

one, his usual smirk absent. "So,

, her gaze distant. "We keep movin

his expression unusually serious.

tared into the flames, the weight of th

she said finally, her voi

flicker of doubt in his