~Kaida Orion POV~
Han's smirk gleamed in the pale blue light, his breath misting the frozen air. Behind him, his two men shifted forward, boots crunching on ice, their presence filled the tunnel with a crushing sense of inevitability.
Busy stepped in front of me, blade drawn, the metal catching the faint glow overhead. His shoulders were tense but steady, as if he had been waiting for this very moment.
The archer raised their bow higher, the string drawn taut. "You're too bold, Han," they said, voice tight. "This cavern isn't yours to claim."
Han chuckled, the sound scraping down my spine. "Everything under the snow is mine if I want it! You should know that by now." His eyes shifted to Lupus. "Especially when it involves him."
Lupus moved closer to me, his face was pale, exhaustion carved into the lines around his mouth, but his gaze never wavered. He didn't need to say anything…. I could feel his determination anchoring me.
