The crackling of the fire filled the air with a soft and constant sound, a strange contrast to the distant murmur of the camp. Riley was sitting near the flames, sharpening a dagger with precise and methodical movements. The golden light danced across his face, highlighting the shadows under his eyes. He seemed calm, but I knew that calmness was just a facade.
I approached silently. I was practicing my latest ability to propel my legs with the gift the Goddess had given me. The ground crunched under my steps, and he looked up, offering a faint but genuine smile.
"You're very quiet," he commented, sliding the blade of the dagger over the stone with an almost hypnotic smoothness.
I sat in front of him, hugging my knees while recovering the energy I had spent. I watched his hands work with
