Chapter 18 Death root

"Hmm, okay," he murmured, still absorbing what she'd told him. He glanced at the Deathroot in her hand, then back at her.

"But… how many Deathroots are there in total?" he asked.

She hesitated for a moment before answering. "Nine," she replied, her gaze steady.

His eyebrows lifted, his curiosity growing. "So, if all nine Deathroots were imbued into a single weapon, how powerful would it be?"

"It would be powerful," she admitted, her eyes darkening with a hint of foreboding. "Anyone struck by it would suffer true death, as I told you. Their existence would be erased, with no hope of resurrection.

But even with all nine Deathroots combined, it wouldn't be invincible. Remember, they're still only fragments of the Rune of Death—just pieces of the whole. They could never hold its full power."

He nodded slowly, thinking it through. "So even if someone collected all nine, they'd only get a shadow of what the Rune of Death was."

After their conversation, they rode quietly through the dim light

The journey to Fort Haight was far from swift. Days passed as they traveled across rugged landscapes, through dense forests, and across windswept fields. Each night, they set up camp beneath the stars.

She moved with the ease of someone used to long, solitary treks, her silence always a shade too guarded. But as the days wore on, Vyke noticed her tension easing, little by little.

It was during one of those nights, as they sat beside the crackling fire, that he ventured a question. "Why all the secrecy? The hood, the silence—you've seen more of the world than anyone I've met, yet you act as if you're hiding from it."

She glanced at him, the flickering flames reflecting in her eyes. "I told you. It's part of what I am."

He tilted his head, studying her. "What you were," he corrected gently. "You're on a new path now, right? With this journey, these Deathroots… and maybe, a different life?"

For a long moment, she was quiet, her gaze fixed on the fire. But finally, she gave a small nod, as if conceding the point.

By the time they finally approached Fort Haight, t. As they passed through the gates, He looked back at her, a playful glint in his eyes.

"Welcome to Fort Haight," he said, gesturing to the walls with mock grandeur. "My fortress, my rules—and yours, if you'd like."

She looked around with a wary, assessing gaze. "It's… functional," she said, her voice calm but withholding any real admiration.

"Functional?" he echoed, feigning offense. "Come on, give it a little more credit."

As they walked further inside, he stole a glance at her face, still hidden beneath the hood. "You know," he said casually, "for someone with a face as striking as yours, you sure keep it hidden well."

She froze, caught off guard, and gave him a look of sharp skepticism. "Striking? I don't think anyone's called it that before."

"Well how can they when you keep it hidden all the time?" he thought.

"First time for everything," he replied with a grin, meeting her gaze.

After a long pause, her fingers slowly reached up and pushed the hood back, fully revealing her face in the dim light. There was a softness there, a depth in her eyes.

"Better," he murmured, his voice softer now. "There's no reason to hide here. Fort Haight has plenty of room for you—and most importantly, there's no one here but you and me. No one to disturb you or see your face. I know you're shy."

"Me? Shy?" she muttered.

"Didn't I tell you? We Black Knife assassins are only supposed to show our faces to our Lord Husband."

A slow grin spread across his face. "Oh? So now that you've shown me your face… does that make me your Lord Husband?"

She narrowed her eyes, caught between exasperation and a flicker of amusement. "Don't flatter yourself," she replied coolly, though a faint blush betrayed her steady composure. "It was a practical choice."

"Practical, right," he teased, clearly unconvinced. "So, what's next? Do I get a special title? Or maybe a matching cloak?"

He laughed, the sound echoing lightly in the empty corridors of Fort Haight.

"if you're sticking around, it's not just my fort—it's ours."

For a brief moment, she looked at him, genuinely taken aback. "Ours?" she echoed, almost as if the word itself was foreign to her.

As they moved through the quiet corridors of Fort Haight, he seemed to effortlessly fill the silence with his usual confidence, tossing out lighthearted remarks and sly comments that drew her in despite herself.

"So, you show me your face, let down your guard, share my fort... What's next? Are you going to start cooking meals for me?" he teased, glancing sideways at her with a smirk.

She rolled her eyes, brushing him off with a cool glare. "Don't hold your breath," she replied, her voice steady, even as she felt the strange warmth of his presence edging past her defenses.

He chuckled, unfazed. "Alright, alright. No meals. But you know… you could smile more," he added, feigning a thoughtful look as he held her gaze. "I'm starting to think you don't hate it here."

She scoffed, looking away. "I'm here because it's useful to be here. Nothing more."

"Uh-huh," he replied, completely unconvinced, and she could hear the grin in his voice. He moved a little closer, a casual, confident step that closed the distance between them. "Useful, sure. Just like you have to keep glancing back, just to make sure I'm still here, right?"

She felt her cheeks warm, irritation rising as she clenched her jaw. He had a knack for seeing through her in a way that left her feeling exposed, and it grated on her nerves.

"Don't be absurd," she said, her tone cold but controlled, brushing past him as she tried to keep her distance. "You're reading too much into things."

He chuckled again, undeterred. "Am I? Because it's getting harder and harder to believe that the Black Knife Assassin I met back then is the same one standing here now," he said, his voice softening just a little. "Seems like maybe—just maybe—you're warming up to having someone around."

She tensed, his words striking closer to the truth than she wanted to admit. She forced herself to meet his gaze, her expression steely. "You misunderstand," she replied icily. "I haven't changed. This is only temporary."

He tilted his head, watching her with a knowing look. "Temporary, huh?" His smile softened. "Then I guess I'll make the most of it while it lasts."