As the waitress walked away, Lilith leaned back in her chair with a satisfied grin. "Well, that was fun."

Abyss rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. "I can't believe you dragged us into that."

Lilith shot her a wicked look. "You're just upset because you didn't get to participate."

"Enough," Adrian said, standing up. "We've had enough distractions for one night."

The group finished their meal, and the innkeeper approached, offering them rooms for the night. "We don't have many rooms available," he explained, "but we've got two left. They're small, but they'll do for your group."

Lilith's eyes lit up with mischievous delight. "Well, looks like we'll have to share."

Abyss immediately shot her a cold glare. "No. Absolutely not."

Selene, who was always the voice of reason, shrugged softly. "I don't mind sharing. It's just for the night."

Ava smirked, her mind clearly already calculating. "I'll pay whatever it takes to ensure Adrian is comfortable."

Lilith leaned against Adrian, her voice dripping with playfulness. "So, the question is… who's going to share a room with our dear Adrian? I'm sure he'll need… company."

Abyss's jaw tightened, her fists clenching at her sides. "I'll be with him. He's not sharing a room with any of you."

Lilith laughed, completely unbothered. "Oh, Abyss, always so territorial. Why don't we let him decide?"

Ava shook her head. "No… that won't be fair. If it were up to me, I would say he takes a room with me, the rest of you can share the other room."

"That's supposed to be my line," Abyss countered immediately.

Lilith's grin widened, sensing an opportunity. "Alright, since we're stuck with two rooms, how about we make things a little more… interesting?" she suggested, her voice dripping with mischief.

Abyss crossed her arms immediately, her glare sharp as ever. "What are you up to now, Lilith?"

"Oh, relax, Abyss." Lilith waved her hand dismissively. "Let's decide who gets to share a room with our dear Adrian with a little game. You know, something simple… and fair."

Ava leaned forward, her interest piqued. "A game, you say? What kind of game?"

Selene tilted her head curiously, though her usual gentle demeanor remained. "I'm not sure I like the idea of us competing for this…"

Adrian sighed, feeling the inevitable tug of chaos that followed Lilith's suggestions. "You're really going to make me decide with some kind of game?" he asked, half-amused, half-exasperated.

Lilith smiled innocently, though her eyes gleamed with wicked intent. "Of course. It's all in good fun. Besides, we'll make it something light—a game of skill and chance."

Medea, always the practical one, raised an eyebrow. "And what kind of 'skill and chance' game are we talking about?"

Lilith tapped her chin thoughtfully before smirking. "Cards. Simple. Whoever gets the highest card wins. First two winners share Adrian's room. The rest of us can squeeze into the other room."

Abyss scoffed, clearly irritated. "This is ridiculous."

"Then don't play," Lilith shot back with a grin, shuffling a deck of cards she had pulled from seemingly nowhere. "But if you don't, you automatically lose."

With a reluctant huff, Abyss gave in, muttering under her breath as the others gathered around. Adrian, shaking his head, watched as Lilith expertly shuffled the cards before dealing them out.

The first round of cards was met with anticipation, Ava receiving a queen and Selene a ten. Medea, however, drew an ace, raising an eyebrow at Lilith as she claimed her place as one of the winners. Selene, holding a surprising royal flush in the final hand, shyly smiled, securing the second spot.

Lilith grinned, though she didn't seem too disappointed by her loss. "Looks like it's you, Selene, and Medea with Adrian. Guess the rest of us will take the other room."

Abyss's eyes narrowed, clearly displeased with the outcome. "Fine," she said tersely, though the tension was obvious.

With the rooms decided, the group eventually retired for the night. Adrian, Medea, and Selene found themselves in one of the small, modest rooms. It wasn't luxurious, but it was cozy enough, with two beds and barely enough space to walk between them.

After some initial awkwardness, they settled down, though the atmosphere remained heavy with everything that had happened. Adrian found himself standing near the window, gazing out into the quiet village as he pondered their next move.

Medea, seated on the edge of one of the beds, noticed his distraction. "You're thinking too much again," she said softly.

Adrian glanced at her, offering a small smile. "Hard not to. The Shadow Court is getting closer. That scout we killed was just the beginning. We need to move quickly."

Medea nodded, her expression serious. "We'll find the other temples, Adrian. We've already come this far, and the Court won't stop us."

Selene, sitting quietly on the opposite bed, offered a small nod of agreement. "The gods are watching over us," she said softly. "We'll succeed. We have to."

Adrian appreciated the confidence from both of them, but the weight of their mission still pressed heavily on his shoulders. "We'll need to be prepared for anything," he said, his voice thoughtful. "The Shadow Court won't hold back."

Before Medea could respond, a soft knock echoed from the door. Adrian's eyes narrowed slightly as he glanced at the others. "I'll check it," he said, moving cautiously toward the door, hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his dagger.

When he opened the door, there was no one there. The hallway was empty, the dim light from the candles casting eerie shadows across the floor. Frowning, Adrian stepped out, scanning the corridor for any signs of movement.

Just as he turned to head back inside, a hand shot out from the shadows, pulling him into one of the nearby rooms. Adrian's hand flew to his dagger, but before he could draw it, the door slammed shut behind him, and he found himself face-to-face with Abyss.

She was standing there, her usually armored body completely bare, her eyes burning with intensity. Her skin gleamed in the low light, and her expression was a mix of desire and possessiveness.

"Abyss," Adrian said, his voice caught between surprise and frustration. "What are you doing?"

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