The room they found had done enough.
Not perfect—
but better.
Clean water.
Spare cloth.
Something close enough to proper clothing.
Now—
they looked… different.
Not like strays dragged in from the edge.
But not part of this place either.
Lucien adjusted his sleeve again—
too long.
Folding it back.
It still hung loose.
His sister stood beside him—
same issue.
Clothes too large—
but worn without complaint.
Because it worked.
That was enough.
Tharic rolled his shoulders slightly—
his fit better—
but still off.
Unfamiliar.
Seryna didn't care about any of that.
Her focus stayed where it had been—
on the girl in her arms.
Clean now.
Blood gone.
Face visible.
Breathing still there—
but shallow.
Too shallow.
Kaelira stared at her—
head tilting slightly—
eyes narrowing.
"…She looks clean."
A pause.
"…But still looks like she's about to die though."
Blunt.
Unfiltered.
Seryna didn't react.
Didn't argue.
Because she wasn't wrong.
Tharic scratched lightly at the back of his neck—
uneasy.
"…Maybe we should've fed her first."
A glance at the others.
"…Before all this."
Lucien's expression tightened.
"…We didn't have anything."
Quiet.
Real.
A pause.
"…We still don't."
Silence settled again—
heavier this time.
Because now—
it wasn't just about them.
Seryna adjusted her hold slightly—
careful.
Measured.
Her voice came calm.
"…She won't wake like this."
A beat.
"…Even if we had food."
Kaelira's eyes flicked back to her.
"…Then what?"
No sarcasm this time.
Just interest.
Seryna's gaze lowered to the girl—
studying.
"…She needs stability first."
A pause.
"…Then something light."
Lucien nodded slowly—
thinking.
"…Kitchen."
He glanced at his sister.
"…That's still the next move."
She didn't hesitate.
"…Yes."
Flat.
Certain.
"…Food. Water. Then reassess."
Tharic let out a small breath.
"…Alright."
Kaelira stretched slightly—
rolling her shoulders.
"…Hope they don't mind us taking it."
Lucien looked toward the door—
then back at the others.
"…I don't know if they'll mind."
A pause.
"…But sir is the one who brought us here."
Quiet.
Measured.
"…I don't think there'll be a problem."
Not confidence—
but reasoning.
Enough to move.
His sister stepped forward immediately.
"…I'll lead."
No hesitation.
Her eyes were already set—
path clear in her mind.
"…I know where the kitchen is."
A glance back at them.
"…From the map earlier."
Tharic nodded once—
adjusting his grip.
"…Good."
Kaelira's grin flickered—
sharper now.
"…Lead the way then."
Seryna shifted the girl slightly—
ensuring her hold was secure—
then followed.
Lucien fell in beside his sister.
No more delay.
The door opened.
They stepped back into the corridor.
Moving again—
not wandering this time—
but with direction.
Measured.
Purposeful.
Because now—
they had something immediate to solve.
And no room to hesitate.
---
The corridor stretched ahead.
Same ship.
Same silence.
Just them.
Lucien's sister led without slowing.
Eyes forward.
Reading the turns from memory.
"…Left here."
Flat.
They followed.
No argument.
No hesitation.
The group moved as one unit now—not formed, but functioning.
Tharic stayed slightly to the side.
Watching corners.
Still adjusting to the weight of unfamiliar clothes.
Seryna kept her focus downward.
The girl in her arms hadn't changed.
Still shallow breathing.
Still fragile.
Kaelira walked just behind Lucien.
Hands loose.
Eyes active.
Not relaxed.
Just ready.
Lucien himself stayed quiet.
Thinking.
Measuring every intersection they passed.
Then—
he spoke.
"…How big is this ship?"
His sister didn't slow.
"…Large enough to not matter to us."
Simple.
Direct.
Lucien frowned slightly.
"…That's not an answer."
"…It is."
No emotion.
No follow-up.
That ended it.
Tharic let out a quiet breath through his nose.
"…Helpful."
Kaelira smirked faintly.
"…She's not wrong though."
A beat.
"…We're ants in a metal forest."
Seryna didn't look up.
"…Focus."
Calm.
Final.
The corridor widened slightly.
The hum of the ship shifted here—
deeper.
More mechanical.
Lucien's sister stopped.
"…Kitchen is ahead."
A pause.
"…Door on the right."
They approached.
The door was simple.
Functional.
Unmarked.
Lucien stepped first.
Pressed his hand near the seam.
A faint click.
It opened.
---
Inside—
clean space.
Metal surfaces.
Storage racks.
Water dispensers.
Food containers sealed and stacked.
Basic.
Efficient.
No luxury.
Just supply.
Tharic exhaled lightly.
"…Alright."
Kaelira walked in immediately.
Already scanning.
"…Not bad."
Seryna stepped in last.
Careful.
Still holding the girl.
Lucien's sister moved straight to the storage wall.
"…Rations."
She opened a compartment.
Checked inside.
"…Edible."
Another pause.
"…No toxicity."
The kitchen went still.
Not quiet.
**Frozen.**
Seryna didn't move.
Not even when the air shifted.
Because Aldric was already there.
Just… *there.*
No door sound.
No warning.
No arrival.
One moment the space was empty—
the next—
he was standing in it.
Beer in one hand.
A filled bag in the other.
Like he had always belonged there.
Seryna's grip on the half-demon tightened slightly.
Not fear.
Control.
Her eyes lifted slowly.
Locked onto him.
So this is him.
Aldric.
Tharic went rigid.
Every muscle locking in place the moment recognition hit.
*So this is the one we were warned about…*
Lucien didn't breathe properly for a second.
Kaelira didn't step back.
Didn't step forward either.
Just watched.
Aldric tilted his head slightly.
Eyes already on Seryna's arms.
On the girl.
"…So that's the half-demon."
Casual.
Unbothered.
Like they were talking about weather.
"…The brat brought her back for some reason."
Seryna's expression didn't change.
But something inside her *tightened.*
Aldric took a slow sip from the beer.
Then lowered it again.
Eyes still on the girl.
"…Looks like she's barely hanging on like she'll die any second."
Silence.
Kaelira broke it instantly.
"…That's what I said."
Flat.
Matter-of-fact.
Tharic's eyes snapped to her.
*Why would you—*
Too late.
The words were already in the air.
Seryna's jaw clenched.
A sharp thought cut through her mind.
*You moron.*
Aldric paused.
For the first time—
his attention shifted.
Slowly.
To Kaelira.
He looked at her properly now.
Not casually.
Not passing.
Measuring.
A beat passed.
Then another.
The kitchen felt smaller.
Tharic didn't move.
Lucien didn't either.
Even the hum of the ship seemed distant.
Aldric finally spoke.
"…You're loud."
Simple.
Kaelira blinked once.
Then smiled faintly.