Kael woke up to the sound of twigs snapping.
His hand moved to the emberstone in his pocket.
"Serin," he whispered.
She was already awake. Her eyes scanned the shadows. The campfire had gone out. Moonlight filtered through the trees.
Someone was out there.
From the bushes, a figure stepped into view.
A boy — around their age — with dark hair and a short blade in one hand. His clothes were ragged, and he moved like a shadow.
"Don't move," Serin warned, staff raised.
The boy smirked. "If I wanted to hurt you, you'd already be hurt."
Kael stood slowly. "Who are you?"
The boy tossed something shiny into the air — a silver coin. It spun, then landed in his hand. "Name's Riven. I'm just a traveler. Same as you."
Serin didn't lower her staff. "You're no traveler. You walk like a thief."
"Smart girl," Riven said. "But I'm not your enemy."
Kael stepped closer. "Then why were you sneaking around our camp?"
Riven's eyes gleamed. "I followed the fire."
Kael froze.
"You lit up the forest last night," Riven said. "Not very subtle for someone being hunted."
Serin frowned. "You followed that?"
"I follow anything valuable," Riven said. "And you? You're glowing with value."
Kael clenched his fists. "We don't need help from a thief."
"Good," Riven said. "Because I didn't offer any."
He turned to leave, then stopped.
"But you should know," he added, "there's a rider at the river. Cloaked in shadow. Watching."
Kael and Serin exchanged a look.
Riven gave a lazy wave. "If you live, maybe I'll steal from you again."
And just like that, he vanished into the trees.
Kael looked at Serin. "Do you believe him?"
"I don't trust him," she said. "But I believe him."
Kael stood and reached for his emberstone. "Then we find that rider… before he finds us."
Serin nodded. "Stay close. From now on, we move like shadows too."
As they packed up camp, Kael couldn't stop thinking about Riven.
He was fast.
He was clever.
And his eyes didn't glow… but they felt like shadow.
Kael wasn't sure if Riven was friend or foe.
But deep down, he knew they'd see him again.
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