Audrey’s POV
We turned fast, ready to fight.
The figures in the shadows hesitated for just a second—then stepped forward.
Three of them.
Dressed in dark clothing, their faces hidden by hoods. Not rogues.
Something else.
I tightened my grip on my blade, my heartbeat steady. "You’ve been following us."
One of them chuckled. "Observant."
Luke stood beside me, his stance strong. "Who sent you?"
The leader tilted his head. "Does it matter?"
Luke’s jaw clenched. "It does to me."
The man sighed dramatically. "You weren’t supposed to make it this far."
My stomach tightened. "Yeah? Well, I hate disappointing people."
The man smirked. "Let’s fix that, then."
He moved first.
Fast. Precise.
I dodged, barely missing the blade aimed for my ribs. Too close.
Luke engaged with the second a
