The Wisteria Accond

Chapter Three

The outpost is tense, bristling with uncertainty. After the encounter in the woods, we barely slept. Everyone is on edge, whispering rumors and half-truths that spread like wildfire. A Nightborne helped us, they say. It spoke. It spared us. I don't have the answers, but I know one thing: Ashen wasn't like the others. And if it's right—if we are fighting the wrong enemy—then everything I thought I knew might be a lie.

I pace the small, stone-walled room that serves as our command center, maps and notes spread across the table before me. My mind races with questions. Who is Ashen? What does it want? And why did it say some of the Nightborne don't seek our deaths?

The door creaks open, and Soren steps inside, his expression as grave as mine feels. He's wearing his usual dark leathers, his sword sheathed at his side, his blond hair tied back tightly. At 6'2", his broad shoulders fill the doorway, but there's a weariness in his eyes that I'm not used to seeing.

"You're still here," he says, closing the door behind him. "I thought you'd be getting some rest."

"Can't rest," I reply, my voice tight. "Too many questions and not enough answers."

He nods, leaning against the wall. "The men are talking. Some are saying we should've killed Ashen when we had the chance."

"And some are saying we should have listened to it," I counter, crossing my arms. "We're in dangerous territory, Soren. If even one Nightborne has a different motive, it could change everything. Or it could be a trap. But we won't know until we dig deeper."

Soren studies me for a moment, his dark eyes searching. "You think we should seek it out?"

"I think we need more information," I say, turning back to the maps. "If what Ashen said is true, we need to know why the Nightborne are coming closer to our borders. If they're not the enemy—or if something else is driving them—we have to find out."

"You want to trust a Nightborne?" he asks, his voice carrying the weight of years of prejudice and hard-won battles.

"No," I reply, meeting his gaze. "But I want to understand them. Because if we're wrong about them, we're wasting time fighting shadows while the real threat is out there, somewhere in the dark."

Soren is quiet for a moment, and I can see the struggle in his eyes. Trusting the enemy, even considering it, goes against everything we've been taught. But he knows me well enough to trust my instincts. "All right," he says finally. "What's the plan?"

"We need to go back," I say. "To where we saw Ashen. If it's still out there, maybe it will talk to us again. If it's not... we need to find out why it let us go."

"Returning to the woods so soon after an attack might raise some questions," he warns.

I nod. "That's why we're keeping this between us for now. No need to alarm everyone until we know more."

Soren's lips curve into a small, approving smile. "Keeping secrets now, Captain?"

I smile back, though it's tight. "Just being cautious. If there's a chance to avoid more bloodshed, I'll take it."

He straightens, moving to the table to study the map. "All right. I'll gather some supplies. Meet you at the east gate in an hour?"

I nod. "Deal."

As he heads out, I let out a breath, feeling a weight settle over my shoulders. I don't know what we'll find out there, but I have a feeling Ashen is more than just another Nightborne. And if I'm wrong... well, I'll deal with that when the time comes.

...

An hour later, Soren and I slip out of the east gate, moving quickly and quietly through the forest. The air is cool, the scent of damp earth and wisteria hanging heavy around us. The sun is low on the horizon, casting long shadows through the trees. It's a risk coming out here again so soon, but I can't shake the feeling that we're close to something—a truth, a secret, maybe even an answer.