The descent from the Raven’s Roost was slow and silent. Robert carried Silica in his arms for the first league, as her legs were too weak from years of confined captivity to manage the jagged mountain terrain. She clung to his neck, her face buried in his cloak, as if she feared that letting go would cause him to vanish back into the smoke of her memories.
Marin walked point, her claymore sheathed but her hand never leaving the hilt. Every few minutes, she would glance back at the siblings. The "Level Up" from their union was still humming in her blood—a sense of vitality that made the freezing wind feel like a summer breeze. But more than the physical power, it was the emotional tether she felt to Robert that guided her. She could feel his relief, his sorrow, and the crushing weight of the responsibility he now felt for his sister.
The First Camp
They found a sheltered grove of pines as the sun began to dip. Robert set Silica down on a bed of dry needles and immediately began wrapping her in every spare cloak they had.
"I'm okay, Robert," Silica whispered, her voice like dry leaves. "You don't have to... you don't have to keep checking."
"I do," Robert said, his voice thick. He was kneeling before her, rubbing her cold hands. "I have ten years of checking to make up for."
Marin approached with a flask of warmed water and some travel rations. She knelt beside them, offering the water to Silica with a gentle smile. "Drink this. It’ll help the chill."
Silica looked at Marin, her amber eyes searching the Knight’s face. She looked at the way Robert looked at Marin—the unspoken language of two people who had shared a soul. "You’re the one who helped him," Silica said quietly. "The Lady of the Silver Blade."
"I'm Marin," she replied softly. "And we’re going to get you somewhere safe, Silica. Somewhere where no one can ever trade you again."
The Burden of the Secret
Later, once Silica had finally drifted into a deep, exhausted sleep, Robert and Marin sat by the dying embers of the fire. The reality of their situation began to settle in.
"We can't just take her to the capital," Robert said, his eyes fixed on the sleeping girl. "Verican’s men still have ears in the court. If they know she’s alive, they’ll use her as leverage to get his sentence commuted, or worse."
"And there's the matter of us," Marin added, her voice a hushed whisper. She felt the warmth of their engagement—the magical bond—pulsing in her veins. "The moment we step into a Noble House together, the High Mages will sense the change in our signatures. They’ll know we’ve... triggered the Contract."
Robert looked at her, the conflict clear in his expression. Under the rules of their world, he was now her fiancé. A former noble restored by the blood of a Montclair. If the news broke before they were ready, her father, Magnus, would likely have Robert executed for "corrupting" the family line, regardless of the rescue.
"We keep it hidden," Robert said, reaching out to take Marin's hand. "For Silica's sake. We find a safe house, maybe with Elsa and the others. We tell them she’s a witness we rescued. We don't mention the Atten name yet."
Marin squeezed his hand. "My family's estate has a summer villa in the Valois valley. It’s isolated. We can take her there. I’ll tell my father I need time to 'decompress' after the hunt."
A Vow in the Dark
Robert leaned over and kissed Marin’s forehead. The bond between them flared—a silent confirmation of their agreement. They were playing a dangerous game with the laws of the realm, but looking at his sister, Robert knew he would burn the world down to keep this peace.
"Thank you, Marin," he whispered. "For everything."
"Don't thank me yet," she replied, her eyes reflecting the last of the firelight. "The hard part is just beginning. We have to act like we’re still just 'partners' while my heart is trying to beat out of my chest every time you look at me."
Robert let out a short, dry laugh. "I think I can manage the acting. I’ve been a ghost for a long time, remember?"
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