The morning air was clean, carrying the scent of dew-drenched leaves as Adrian stood at the edge of the temple grounds. The goddesses—Lilith, Medea, and Ava—were preparing for their departure, each one busy with her own tasks.

Adrian, however, had something else on his mind.

He turned, his gaze falling on Selene, the devoted priestess who had served him well the previous night. She had already shown her loyalty, and Adrian knew she could be an asset on their journey.

Stepping closer, he beckoned her with a nod. "Selene," he said quietly in a firm yet calm voice. "You're coming with us like I told you last night.."

Selene didn't protest, she simply nodded with a subtle smile. She'd been a part of this village for years, but something about Adrian—about what had transpired between them—made her want to follow him without question. "Yes, my Lord," she replied, bowing her head in submission.

Adrian looked over to the three goddesses, who were gathered near the horses, preparing for their journey. He knew there would be questions, particularly from Lilith, but he had made his decision.

Walking over to the group with Selene following close behind, Adrian cleared his throat, drawing their attention. "Selene will be joining us on our journey," he announced in a tone that left no room for debate. "I expect all of you to treat her as one of us."

"Well, well, look who's here," Lilith said, her voice dripping with playful curiosity. "Selene, dear, how did you sleep last night? Or should I say... did you even sleep at all?"

Selene flushed a deep red, her eyes flicking to Adrian before quickly dropping to the floor. "I-I slept fine, Lady Lilith," she stammered, though the blush on her cheeks betrayed her.

Lilith smirked, clearly enjoying the priestess's embarrassment. "Oh, I bet you did. I knew something was up last night. You two disappeared for quite a while, didn't you?"

She shot a knowing look at Adrian, who was busy strapping on his gear, pretending not to notice the exchange.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Adrian replied casually, though his lips quirked up in the slightest of smiles.

Selene shifted uncomfortably, but Lilith wasn't done. "Oh, come now, Selene. You don't have to hide anything from me." She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Did our dear Adrian satisfy you? I know he has a certain... skill set."

Selene's eyes widened, and she looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her whole. "I-I—"

"Lilith, that's enough," Medea cut in, noticing Selene was embarrassed. "You're to make her feel at home, not like she's in an interrogation room.."

Lilith waved her off, but the smile never left her face. "Fine, fine. I'll stop teasing... for now."

Adrian shot Lilith a grateful look before turning to the rest of the group. "We should head out soon," he said. "We've lingered here long enough, and there's still a lot to do."

Ava barely paid any attention to them instead, she was too occupied with securing her own belongings—mainly the treasures she had acquired from the villagers.

With a slight nod, Selene moved to gather her things, preparing for the journey ahead. It wasn't long before the small group gathered at the village entrance.

Selene had handed over her priestly duties to a younger priest and bid farewell to the temple, her eyes glancing back only briefly before turning to Adrian.

The five of them—Adrian, Ava, Lilith, Medea, and Selene—left the village together, the sound of hooves on dirt roads and the rustle of leaves accompanying their departure. The sun climbed higher into the sky, casting a golden glow over the landscape as they rode in silence.

Days passed, and though the journey was uneventful, the undercurrents of tension began to grow, particularly between Ava and Medea. Adrian noticed the subtle shifts in behavior, the way Ava had started hoarding the group's resources, keeping more than her share while the others, especially Medea, looked on with growing suspicion.

One afternoon, as the sun began to dip low on the horizon, Adrian and Medea decided to break away from the group to train, leaving Ava, Lilith, and Selene behind to set up camp.

Adrian and Medea rode into the nearby forest, the sound of birdsong filling the air as they dismounted and began their sparring.

After hours of intense training, they paused to rest and hunt. It wasn't long before Adrian managed to take down a wild boar, then carried it back to camp.

Together, they roasted it over an open fire, the smell of cooked meat wafting through the trees as they sat in companionable silence.

"I've been meaning to ask," Medea said, breaking the quiet as she glanced at Adrian. "What's your plan on the Shadow Court?"

Adrian poked at the fire with a stick, watching the flames dance before responding. "First, we need to gather more resources and allies. That's why we're heading to Zarpha. Then, we'll figure out how to free the next goddess. We'll need all the strength we can get."

Medea nodded thoughtfully, but her gaze wandered back to the fire, where the boar roasted to a golden brown. "Speaking of resources," she muttered, her voice darkening, "have you noticed Ava's behavior lately?"

Adrian glanced at her. "What do you mean?"

"She's been hoarding," Medea said with irritation. "Every time we gather supplies or food, she takes more than her share. And I'm not talking about small things—she's hiding stuff, keeping it for herself."

Adrian frowned. "Are you sure?"

Medea's expression was sharp. "I'm not blind, Adrian. I've seen her stash things away when she thinks no one's watching."

Adrian nodded. "I'll talk to her."

"You'd better," Medea said, her eyes flashing with barely restrained fury. "Or I will."

Before Adrian could respond, Lilith sauntered over, her lips curving into a sly smile. "Oh, is our little group starting to have some issues?" she askedlghtly. "Ava being greedy, Medea being wrathful... it's almost like the three of us were destined to clash, don't you think?"

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