Morning crept slowly over the Frost Hollow, pale sunlight filtering through the skeletal trees. The storm had passed, but the cold lingered, sharp as knives.
Aelric awoke early, though in truth, he hadn't truly slept. The Shard's presence still buzzed faintly in his awareness—a quiet, persistent hum like a coiled predator waiting to strike.
But it wasn't the artifact that stirred his instincts now.
It was the presence outside their hidden shelter.
Rising silently, Aelric stepped to the entrance, eyes narrowing. Snow crunched beyond the brambles. Movement. Steady. Controlled. Military.
"Rhea," he whispered, sharp and quiet. She stirred instantly, her hand on her dagger, already alert.
A shadow passed beyond the alcove. Another followed. Then a voice, low but firm.
"Hidden blades and coward's tricks don't suit you, boy. Step out."
Aelric's eyes narrowed at the familiar tone.
The Thornwatch had arrived.
He emerged cautiously, hands away from his weapons but posture guarded. Five figures stood beyond the trees—clad in dark leather and fur-lined cloaks, the distinctive silver thorn insignia gleaming on their shoulders. Their eyes were sharp, their weapons ready.
At their head stood Kara Veyne, a veteran scout with hard green eyes and a reputation for unyielding efficiency. Older sister to Selene, though estranged. Aelric had met her only once, but her presence was unmistakable.
"Scouts rarely travel this deep," Aelric remarked, voice cool. "Lose your trail?"
Kara's expression didn't waver. "We picked up yours. The Shade's camp burns. Hollowborn dead. High Priestess furious." She tilted her head. "Your handiwork?"
"Partially." Aelric didn't bother denying it.
Kara's gaze flicked to the Shard at his belt, faintly visible beneath his cloak. Her lips pressed into a thin line.
"Artifact theft from the Covenant is a death sentence. You're either brave… or stupid."
"Both," Aelric replied flatly. "Depending on the day."
Tension rippled through the scouts. They weren't enemies—not yet—but Thornwatch loyalty was to the realm, not to reckless or corrupted outcasts.
Aelric understood the calculation in Kara's eyes. He represented power… and risk.
But she also saw the rescued youths behind him. Rhea, armed but wary. The signs of survival against odds no ordinary boy should've overcome.
"Why are you really here, Veyne?" Aelric asked. "Thornwatch don't patrol this far for sport."
Kara's gaze hardened. "There are whispers beyond the Hollow. Old gods stirring. Borders weakening. Something worse than Hollowborn crawling beneath the veil."
Her eyes locked onto his.
"And you, Aelric… you're at the center of it now."
Snow drifted between them, cold and silent. The world beyond the Frost Hollow was changing. The Thornwatch could be ally or obstacle. Trust… was fragile.
But Aelric had no intention of walking blind.
The game had only just begun.
...
The Thornwatch scouts remained still, hands on weapons, eyes unreadable. They weren't pointing spears at Aelric—yet—but the tension was palpable.
Kara Veyne approached slowly, boots crunching in the snow. Her sharp green eyes studied Aelric, calculating every detail.
"You've always been trouble, boy," she said flatly. "But I didn't take you for suicidal."
Aelric didn't blink. "That camp wasn't going to liberate itself."
"The Covenant doesn't let their pets slip away." Kara's gaze flicked to the two rescued children still huddled near the alcove, to Rhea standing protectively before them. "And they'll be coming for what you stole."
Aelric's hand drifted toward the Shard beneath his cloak. It pulsed faintly—resentful, coiled, whispering.
"I didn't steal it," Aelric replied evenly. "I claimed it."
Kara snorted. "Is that what we call heresy now?"
Despite the barbed words, there wasn't venom in her tone. Caution. Curiosity. Wariness—but not outright hostility.
Rhea stepped forward, her expression hardening. "We need safe passage. Thornwatch protects the border. That includes refugees."
A few of the scouts exchanged glances. One—a tall, broad-shouldered man—grunted. "Not when the refugees drag cursed relics with them."
Aelric's eyes narrowed. The artifact painted him as a threat in their eyes. But he wasn't here to beg.
He was here to bargain.
"You want the truth?" Aelric said, his voice steady, cutting through the tension. "The Covenant's corrupt. The Hollowborn grow bolder. Old things stir in the dark—and your 'border patrols' won't stop what's coming."
He took a step forward. The faintest flare of the Shard's energy rippled through the air—subtle, but undeniable. The scouts tensed.
"I've seen their plans. I've seen their monsters. You need me more than I need your permission."
Silence. The wind stirred the snow.
Then Kara smiled—thin, sharp. "Clever." She turned to her scouts. "Lower your weapons. For now."
The others obeyed reluctantly, though their eyes never left Aelric.
"We'll escort you to the outer encampment," Kara continued. "After that… the Thornmaster decides."
Aelric inclined his head. It wasn't trust. But it was a start.
As the group prepared to move, Kara lingered beside him, her voice low, meant for him alone.
"My sister won't forget this," she warned. "Selene never lets go of her prey."
Aelric met her gaze, unwavering. "Neither do I."
For a fleeting moment, respect flickered in Kara's eyes. Then she turned away.
The game of survival, power, and gods continued—and Aelric was no longer a pawn.
He was learning to play the board.