They moved deeper into the Hollows with Cassandra in tow, and she talked while they walked, her voice steady and calm, like she was briefing a team instead of recounting her own near-death experience.
"Silver Tail's been playing dirty for years," Cassandra said. "Contracts under the table, bribing dungeon inspectors, eliminating competition. But this?" She gestured around the chamber. "This is new."
Emma's grip tightened on her blade. "Why us?"
"Because a D-rank guild getting picked over us for a contract wasn't something our boss would let slide." She paused, hand moving to her wounded arm. "And our leader... I guess I should say their leader now."
Rook grunted, giving her time while Kurt observed her body language.
She continued after a moment. "Braun Ironside doesn't take losing well. He's an A-rank brute with an ego the size of a continent and a habit of making problems disappear."
Rook's expression hardened. "Braun..." From what Kurt could observe, Rook was familiar with the name.
"So he sabotaged us?" Kurt asked in Rook's stead.
"You could say that." Frost formed briefly around her fingertips before melting away. "He messed with the migration of the dungeon's monsters, rigged structural collapses, and when I realized what we were actually doing and refused to go along with it..." Her jaw tightened. "He personally saw to it that I was left here to die with you people."
Kurt took a drag of his cigarette, studying the woman beside him. She was tall, composed, and moved like someone with years of combat experience. Her long blue hair was still streaked with dirt and blood, but she carried herself like a queen.
"Sounds like a right bastard."
"He is," she replied. "But he's also a smart bastard. He covered his tracks. So even if you people make it out of here and try to expose him to the D.A, you'd just be wasting your breaths."
Emma's gaze stayed fixed on Cassandra while she listened. "And we're supposed to just buy your story? For all we know, you're still working for him."
The ice woman's smile was cold. "Believe what you want. I'm just telling you the truth."
Kurt studied her, and his gut feeling led him to trust her. He didn't remember much about his old life, but he had a way of telling when someone was lying, maybe because he was an excellent liar himself.
She didn't seem to be. Her body language was open, her tone straightforward, and the fury in her voice when she talked about Ironside was too raw to be faked.
"She's telling the truth."
Emma's jaw clenched, but she didn't argue. Kurt calling her out like that, in front of everyone, should've pissed her off more. But he could tell in that moment that she trusted his judgement.
However, that didn't mean she had to like it.
Cassandra on the other hand, seemed to enjoy the tension brewing. She glanced at Kurt. "You trust easily."
"Far from it," Kurt said, grinning around his cigarette. "But I've got a good sense for when someone's full of shit. And you're not."
She had a composed smile that gave away nothing. "Careful. Flattery won't get you anywhere with me."
"Flattery?" Kurt's grin widened. "I'm just stating facts. You're clearly a smart one, dangerous even, and surprisingly forthcoming for someone who was left to die."
She stopped walking and turned to face him fully, nearly his height, and the way she looked at him held both amusement and warning.
"You're an interesting one."
Kurt gave a faint shrug. "So I've been told."
Behind them, Lizzie made a sound somewhere between a scoff and a growl.
Kurt glanced back to find her glaring at Cassandra, arms crossed tight. "Problem, Lizzie?"
"Nope." Her voice was sweet but sharp around the edges. "Nooo problems here."
Kurt raised an eyebrow but didn't press, though he could feel the tension rolling off her in waves, and it didn't take a genius to figure out why. Lizzie didn't like competition, and for some reason, she perceived Cassandra as one.
For her part, the former Silver Tail hunter seemed entirely unbothered, falling back into step beside Rook with her hands resting casually on the hilt of her blade.
"So," she said, tone casual as she tried to start conversation. "What's the deal with your friend?"
Rook glanced at her. "Which friend?"
"The one who came back from the dead. That's not normal, even by hunter standards."
Rook's expression didn't change. "Kurt's got his own thing going on. Not my place to explain it."
"Not your place?" She tilted her head slightly. "He died, and then he didn't. That's not just 'his own thing.' That's something big."
"And if he wants to tell you about it, he will," Rook said, his tone firm. "Until then, drop it."
She studied him for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Fine. But you can't blame me for being curious."
Rook didn't respond, just kept walking.
Kurt smirked as he listened. Rook was a good bloke, even if he had a habit of throwing people into monsters. At least he had Kurt's back when it mattered.
Cassandra let the topic drop, though Kurt could feel her attention returning to him as they walked, that cold curiosity still present beneath her composed exterior. She was curious, and curiosity was dangerous, especially when it came to someone like her.
The tunnel opened into another chamber, this one smaller and lined with jagged rock formations that jutted from the floor like broken teeth. The air was cooler here, almost cold, and Kurt's breath misted faintly.
"Hold," Rook said, raising a hand.
The team stopped, and Kurt's instincts flared. Something was wrong. The chamber was too quiet, too still. He scanned the shadows, his hand moving to his knife.
Cassandra stepped up beside him, her blade already drawn. "You feel that?"
"Yeah," Kurt muttered. "We're not alone."
And then the walls exploded.
Dozens of creatures burst from the shadows, small and fast, their bodies covered in chitinous armor that gleamed dully in the dim light. They had too many legs, six beady eyes, and their mouths opened to reveal rows of needle-sharp teeth as they swarmed forward.
[NEW QUEST AVAILABLE]
-Survive The Swarm
- Reward: 5 Points
"Bollocks," Kurt sighed and took one more drag.
***
A/N: I hope you're enjoying this so far. Add to Library and send a power stone or two if you are.
And a review or two would mean something to me! Thank you and peace!