The west corridor briefing room was cold and smelled of old parchment and older stone. A single torch flickered on the wall, casting uneven shadows across the faces of Team Alpha as they assembled.
Soren stood at the front, arms crossed, his presence commanding the room without effort. Beside him, Valeria leaned against the wall. Her dark eyes swept across the assembled team, lingering on Nyra for a fraction of a second longer than necessary.
Orion sat near the window, sharpening a blade that was already sharp enough to split hair. Silas Fogwalker, the fast-talking Beta was uncharacteristically quiet, his fingers drumming a nervous rhythm on his knee. Elias Nightveil stood in the farthest corner, his back to the wall, his dark eyes watchful and giving nothing away. Draven sprawled in a chair near the front, his boots up on the table, his smirk firmly in place.
Nyra sat between Orion and Silas, as far from Draven as the small room would allow. She kept her face neutral. Whatever was coming, she would face it.
Soren began without preamble.
"The mission is straightforward but dangerous. Intelligence reports indicate a pack of rogue wolves has established territory in the eastern sector of the Mistwood. We don’t know their numbers. We don’t know their strength. What we do know is that they’ve attacked three patrols in the past two weeks, and the academy board has decided they can no longer be tolerated."
He unrolled a map across the table. It was hand-drawn, the ink faded, but the terrain was clear enough a dense forest marked with ravines, a river crossing, and a large clearing at the center.
"We enter here." Soren pointed to a gate on the eastern edge of the map. "We move in formation through the outer forest, cross the river at the shallow point, and push toward the central clearing. If the rogues are anywhere, they’ll be there."
"And if they’re not?" Draven asked, his tone lazy.
"Then we track them. Silas is our scout he’ll range ahead and report back. Orion handles rear guard. Elias handles navigation and traps. Draven, you’re on me as backup. Thorne, you stay in the middle of the formation with Valeria. You don’t engage unless ordered. Understood?"
Nyra nodded. "Understood."
"Good." Soren rolled up the map. "The Mistwood isn’t like the training grounds. The terrain shifts. The fog plays tricks. Rogues don’t fight with honor they fight to kill. If you get separated from the group, light your flare immediately. I’d rather have you marked as a failure than dead."
"Touching," Valeria murmured. "I didn’t know you cared so much about your students."
Soren ignored her. "Questions?"
"What kind of rogues are we talking about?" Orion asked, looking up from his blade. "Displaced pack wolves? Exiles? Something worse?"
"Unknown. Assume the worst."
"Always do."
"Anything else?" Soren looked around the room. No one spoke. "Then we’re done. Get some rest. We move at dawn. If you’re late, you’re left behind. Understood?"
Nods all around.
"Dismissed."
Chairs scraped against stone. Orion sheathed his blade and walked out first, Silas close behind. Elias melted out of his corner and vanished through the door without a sound. Draven took his time getting up, his smirk still in place, his eyes lingering on Nyra.
"See you in the forest, Ghost," he murmured as he passed.
Then it was just Soren, Valeria, and Nyra.
"Soren." Valeria’s voice was soft, intimate. "A word before you go?"
Soren glanced at Nyra. "Wait outside."
Nyra nodded and stepped into the corridor, pulling the door shut behind her but not all the way. A sliver of torchlight spilled through the crack. She told herself she wasn’t going to listen. She listened anyway.
Valeria moved closer to Soren, her hand reaching up toward his cheek. "You’ve been distant lately. Colder than usual. Even for you."
Soren caught her wrist before her fingers touched his skin. "Valeria."
"I’m just trying to—"
"Don’t."
He released her hand. The rejection was gentle but absolute. Valeria’s expression flickered hurt, there and gone in an instant, replaced by the practiced smile she wore like armor.
"The forest is dangerous," she said, her voice steady. "More dangerous than the board is letting on. I’ve heard things. Rumors about what’s really out there." She stepped back, giving him space. "Just... stay safe. I’ll protect you if I can."
"You don’t need to protect me." Soren’s voice was flat but not unkind. "I can take care of myself. Focus on taking care of yourself instead of worrying about me."
"I always worry about you. You know that."
Silence. Nyra pressed herself against the wall, her heart beating too fast. She shouldn’t be here. She shouldn’t be listening. But she couldn’t make herself move.
"Get some rest," Soren said finally. "We move at dawn."
He walked toward the door. Valeria watched him go, her smile still in place, but her eyes were empty.
In the corridor, Nyra’s jaw was tight. What were they doing in there? Why did it take so long? She hated the jealousy curling in her stomach. She had no right to it. She knew she had no right. But the image of Valeria reaching for his face, the intimacy of her voice, the way she’d said his name, it burned.
The door opened. Soren stepped out. Valeria was right behind him, her composure perfectly restored.
"Get some rest, all of you," Valeria said, addressing the empty corridor as if Nyra weren’t the only one there. "We meet back here at the west corridor at dawn. Lateness means failure. Don’t be late."
Nyra nodded stiffly.
Soren reached for her arm. "Thorne. A moment."
She pulled away. "I need to go talk to my friends."
Something flickered in his eyes surprise, maybe confusion. He wasn’t used to her pulling away. "Is something wrong?"
"No. I just need to see them before we leave." She was already backing away. "I’ll see you at dawn."
Soren watched her go, his expression unreadable. Valeria watched Soren watching her, and her smile tightened at the corners.
The east corridor was empty now, the last of Team Gamma’s members dispersing into the evening. Ragnar stood near the door, arms crossed, his scarred face set in an expression of impatience. Finn Harlan lingered by the table, pretending to adjust his gear.
"Finn." Ragnar’s voice was rough. "Stay back. Need to talk to you."
Finn looked up, his easy grin flickering. "What about?"
"Just stay."
The last of the team filed out Marek throwing Finn a questioning look that Finn waved off, Tomas Greer muttering something about getting dinner before the hall closed, Lyra Ashford and the Proctor’s apprentice already deep in their own conversation. The door clicked shut.
They were alone.
Ragnar moved fast. One moment he was across the room, the next he had Finn backed against the stone wall, his scarred hands gripping the front of his tunic, his mouth crashing down on Finn’s.
Finn made a surprised sound half gasp, half groan and then his hands were fisting in Ragnar’s shirt and he was kissing back with equal hunger. The kiss was fierce and desperate and tasted like all the things they hadn’t said during the briefing, all the fear they weren’t allowed to show.
When Ragnar finally pulled back, they were both breathing hard.
"You stay safe out there," Ragnar growled, his hand coming up to cup Finn’s jaw. His thumb traced the line of Finn’s cheekbone, surprisingly gentle. "I mean it. I can’t lose you."
"You’re not going to lose me." Finn’s voice was steadier than he felt. "I’ll stay close to you the whole time. You won’t be able to get rid of me."
"Good." Ragnar kissed him again, softer this time. "Because if you die in that forest, I’ll kill you myself."
"That doesn’t make any sense."
"Don’t care."
Finn laughed, a little breathless. "You stay safe too, alright? You’re the lead. Don’t do anything stupid."
"I never do anything stupid."
"You punched a wall last week because it looked at you wrong."
"The wall had it coming."
They stood there for a moment, foreheads pressed together, breathing the same air. Then Ragnar stepped back, his hand dropping from Finn’s face.
"Go. Get some rest. We move at dawn."
"Dawn," Finn echoed. "I’ll be there."
He walked to the door, then paused. Looked back. Ragnar was still watching him, his scarred face softer than Finn had ever seen it.
"Don’t die," Finn said.
"You first."
Finn grinned and slipped out the door.
Ragnar stood alone in the empty room for a long moment, then he went to find Soren.