Foe or Friend

After the banquet, Tyrrel's guests were escorted back to their quarters.

This room, designated for human envoys, was furnished with human-sized furniture, yet retained the scale of the Titans, resembling a hall spacious enough to accommodate a thousand people.

Andros and the knights, along with their entourage, resided within this vast space, the hundreds-strong cavalry only occupying less than a fifth of the area. The men's beds were lined along the wall to the left of the entrance, and the women's to the right, with nearly thirty feet separating them.

At the room's center stood a long table, laden with weapons, helmets, and personal items, plus a feast brought back from the banquet hall specially for Grayson and Elyra.

Morven stood leaning against the wall by the doorway, his gaze seemingly casual but actually fixated on Katheren, who sat at the edge of her bed meticulously cleaning her silver pistol with a velvet cloth. She treated the firearm with such tenderness, as if it were a precious gift, not a lethal weapon.

The longing in her eyes made Morven frown. Forcing himself to look away, he stepped outside, standing by the opposite wall of the corridor, his eyes raised to the lofty ceiling. Yet Katheren's smiling face flashed in his mind again.

"That foolish girl," he muttered to himself with a shake of his head, "Grayson is too captivating for her, and she seems so ensnared despite knowing so little about him."

The thought made him serious. "We're all the same, in the dark about him," he paused before adding, "perhaps except for Andros."

He jumped as a hand clapped on his shoulder. Whirling around defensively, he saw Andros, who apologized with a sheepish grin, "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you. What's got you so absorbed?"

"Nothing," Morven replied, clearing his throat awkwardly, stepping forward to ask casually, "Did you find Grayson?"

"No, that fellow is nowhere to be found. I couldn't venture too far, just had to wait for him to return," Andros answered.

Morven nodded absently, still distracted by his thoughts. Andros, sensing something amiss, probed, "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Lifting his gaze to meet Andros's, Morven's recent reflections prompted his inquiry, "You've been hunting Grayson for a decade; perhaps you could satisfy my curiosity. Where's he from? What's his background?"

"Ah, you want to know about that," Andros sighed, shaking his head, "I'm afraid I'll disappoint you. We know as little about him as you do. No one knows his hometown, he has no family; everything about him is a mystery."

The captain leaned back against the wall, his brow furrowed in confusion, "He never talks about himself, like a wandering shadow. Where he's from, what he's been through, it's all a curiosity to me."

"I suspect he's endured what most couldn't," Morven murmured softly. Andros's gaze intensified, "Have you discovered something?"

After a cautious look around, Morven shared his suspicions in hushed tones. He mentioned Grayson's exceptional speed, his strength to sever a stone man's neck with one hand, his acute senses, his resistance to cold, and even...

"Even in the Ice Phoenix's blizzard, he remained unfrozen. Could you do that?"

Morven's frown deepened as he peered at the contemplative Andros, who admitted, "Without magic, I couldn't..."

"But how does he manage it?" Morven pressed.

"He heals faster than normal men. When we reached Frost Cliff, his battered body had no wounds, and Seraphine never treated him!"

"What are you implying?" Andros challenged, locking eyes with the adventurer, who sighed, a flicker of unease in his gaze, "I don't know. I just wish to understand my teammate better."

A tense silence lingered between them as doubts about Grayson swirled, fueled by old rumors.

Finally, Andros broke the stillness, "Your observations are indeed suspicious. To unveil his secrets, we need someone close to him."

"Elyra..." Morven gazed down the endless corridor, speaking softly, "Katheren mentioned when she first encountered them, Grayson and Elyra were together. Their closeness suggests they share everything."

"You plan to pry Grayson's past from that girl?" Andros smirked sardonically.

Feeling disparaged by his tone, Morven countered, "Could we directly ask Grayson? That sly dog won't tell us a thing!"

"Elyra's no different," Andros shook his head resolutely, "That little one's shrewder than Grayson. She may seem playful and innocent, but ask her anything of importance, and you'll be met with coyness and evasive answers."

"I thought you could appease my curiosity," Morven sighed, resigning himself to his own devices, "seems I'll have to find out on my own."

Andros warned, resting against the wall, "I'd advise you to curb your curiosity to avoid Grayson's animosity. It's not the time for internal scrutiny. We mustn't give Wystan an opportunity."

Morven cast a noncommittal glance at Andros just as a white figure approached swiftly. With a subtle gesture, he alerted Andros.

Andros turned and greeted, "Any luck? What did you find?"

Grayson, yet to respond, was preempted by Elyra, who chirped impatiently from his shoulder, "I smell delicious food; I can't wait any longer!"

With that, she fluttered into the room as Grayson called after her, "Don't eat it all; save some for me!"

Facing Andros and Morven's probing looks, Grayson asked, "What's the matter? Something wrong?"

The men shook their heads nonchalantly, "Nothing. We were just worried, not knowing where you'd gone."

Grayson handed over the letter to Andros and briefed them on its contents.

Shock clouded the commander's face as he and Morven quickly scanned the document before inquiring, "What do you make of this?"

"Further investigation is needed," Grayson asserted, "Wystan's letter clearly indicates a desire to cooperate with Tyrrel, offering help to crown him Titan King. I didn't find Tyrrel's response, but we can't rule out his collusion."

"Damn Wystan, what's he after?" Andros fretted, pacing with the letter clenched in his hand.

"I think we should first clarify Tyrrel's intentions," Grayson suggested, eyeing them both, "Perhaps in his study, we might find more clues."

Pausing, he added, "Of course, it involves some risk. But if it helps discern friend from foe, it's a risk worth taking."

At his last remark, Andros and Morven exchanged a meaningful look before asking Grayson, "What's your plan?"