"You should've stayed hidden," Medea hissed, twisting the blade viciously before yanking it free.

The man's body spasmed once before going still, blood pooling beneath him as his life ebbed away. The brutal efficiency of the kill left no doubt that Medea had meant every word.

Without being told, Ava searched the man's pockets, his fingers brushing against a crumpled piece of parchment.

She pulled it free, glancing at the hastily scrawled orders before passing it to Adrian. His expression darkened as he read through it. "The Shadow Court is closer than we thought. This was just a scout."

"Poor bastard. Doesn't even have a penny on him"

Medea disregarded Ava's comment and replied Adrian instead, already scanning the surroundings for any more threats. "We can't rest here. If this was a scout, more will follow."

Adrian stuffed the note into his pocket, glancing back at the group. "Mount up. We keep moving."

Lilith swung herself back onto her horse with a casual ease, though her eyes were still alight with the thrill of the kill. "Well, that was a fun little distraction. Shame he wasn't more of a challenge."

Abyss glared at her, wiping the blood from her sword. "If you'd been quicker, he wouldn't have gotten so close in the first place."

Lilith smirked. "Jealous that I got to him first?"

"Hardly," Abyss shot back. "I just prefer efficiency."

Adrian ignored the exchange, mounting his own horse as he motioned for the others to follow. The road ahead was long, and with the Shadow Court already tracking them, they had no time to waste.

As they rode deeper into the forest, Adrian couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. The spy had been sloppy—too easy to kill. The Shadow Court wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

They would send more, and the next attack wouldn't be so easily thwarted.

*****************

As night began to fall, the group arrived at a small village tucked between the rolling hills. The flickering lanterns outside the old wooden inn offered a sense of warmth and a short break from the ongoing stress of being pursued by the Shadow Court.

Adrian led the way into the dimly lit inn, the thick smell of ale and roasted meat filling the air.

The chatter of locals at the bar fell silent as they entered, the patrons casting curious glances toward the group, but quickly resuming their conversations.

The inn wasn't grand, but it would serve their purposes for the night.

They found a round table near the corner, and Adrian sat in the center with Lilith and Abyss flanking him, the tension between them still very noticeable.

Ava, Selene, and Medea took their seats, and soon a buxom waitress approached, her full chest swaying as she walked. Her appearance didn't go unnoticed by the men at the bar, their eyes following her every movement.

She set a jug of ale on the table with a bright smile. "What can I get for you lot?"

Before anyone could respond, a drunk man at the bar reached out and tried to grab the waitress as she walked by. His hand latched onto her chest, resulting in a loud squishy sound that caught everyone's attention.

The waitress yelped, smacking the man's hand away, but Lilith was quicker to react, a grin spreading across her lips.

"Well, well," Lilith mused, nudging Adrian with her elbow. "Did you hear that? It made quite the squishy sound, didn't it?" Her voice was low and teasing. "Maybe you should grab them yourself and see if it feels as squishy as it sounds."

Ava, already smirking, raised her brow in amusement. "I'd vote for that."

Medea, who normally kept her distance from Lilith's antics, surprisingly leaned forward and said, "I'm curious, too. Let's vote."

Adrian's eyes widened slightly as all eyes turned to him. "Seriously?"

Lilith lounged back in her chair, taking a long sip of ale before flashing her usual mischievous grin. "You know," she began, her voice dripping with amusement, "this reminds me of a little encounter we had a while back with Brass."

The rest of the group—Ava, Medea, Abyss, and Selene—glanced at her with varying levels of curiosity. Adrian, already knowing what she was talking about, rolled his eyes but let her continue.

"Brass?" Ava asked, eyebrow raised, intrigued. "What kind of name is that?"

"Oh, it's not just a name, darling," Lilith purred, leaning forward conspiratorially. "You see, Brass was a special man. He had… well, how do I put this delicately? He had brass balls—literally."

Selene, who had been quietly listening, blinked in surprise. "Wait. You mean his…?"

"His balls. His family jewels. His crown orbs," Lilith said with a smirk, pointing downward for emphasis. "They were made of brass. And every time he moved, you'd hear this faint clinking sound. Like someone jingling coins in their pocket. It was quite the spectacle."

Ava snorted, shaking her head in disbelief. "You're kidding."

"Nope," Lilith replied, her eyes gleaming with delight. "You could hear him coming from a mile away. Clink, clink, clink. Poor guy, couldn't sneak up on a shadow."

Medea, typically uninterested in Lilith's tales, tilted her head slightly. "And how exactly did that happen? Brass balls don't just… appear."

Lilith shrugged dramatically. "Some kid of accident when he was younger and to save those precious, well…"

Selene, clearly fascinated, leaned in. "Did you… get to see them? Or… touch them?"

Lilith burst into laughter, waving her hand in front of her face as if dismissing the thought. "Oh, gods, no! I'm adventurous, but I'm not that adventurous, especially when it doesn't ivolve my darling here. Besides, it's not like he was offering a tour."

Adrian, shaking his head with a faint smile, finally chimed in. "I was a weird encounter, but Lilith here was entertained by the whole situation."

Lilith grinned and winked at Adrian. "Well, you've got to admit, it's not every day you meet someone with a set like that. Made you feel normal by comparison, didn't it? Anyways, this might be your chance to test another unique material."

Selene giggled softly, a faint blush rising to her cheeks but clearly not disapproving. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to… investigate."

Abyss glared at Lilith, her voice laced with frustration. "Of course, you'd suggest something so vulgar. I refuse to take part in this ridiculous game."

Lilith waved off Abyss's comment. "Oh, relax, Abyss. It's all in good fun." She turned her attention back to Adrian, her smile playful. "So? What's the decision?"

With the majority vote in favor, Adrian sighed, knowing there was no way to escape the situation. He raised his hand to call the waitress back over. She approached the table, her smile warm but weary.

"Is there something else you need?" she asked, her tone polite but tired.

Adrian gave her a small smile, sensing the exhaustion behind her eyes. "You must be worn out. Long day?"

The waitress nodded, her shoulders slumping slightly. "Yeah, you could say that. But I don't have much of a choice. I need the money."

Adrian's gaze softened as he leaned forward slightly, locking eyes with her. "What keeps you here? What's your desire?"

Her eyes glazed over for a moment, caught in the subtle power of Lilith's influence coursing through Adrian. She blinked rapidly, then stammered, "I… I want to pay off my mom's debt. She owes a lot of money. And I… I want to fix my boobs."

The entire table went silent for a beat.

Adrian frowned, exchanging glances with the others. "Fix your boobs?"

The waitress blushed, looking down at the table. "They're fake. I had them done, but… they're not real."

Lilith's eyes sparkled with wicked glee, nudging Adrian under the table. "Go on, Adrian. She's basically begging you to touch them now."

Abyss, clearly disgusted with the whole situation, crossed her arms and huffed. "This is ridiculous."

Adrian hesitated, but Lilith's encouraging grin pushed him forward. "May I?" he asked, his voice gentle.

The waitress looked surprised for a moment but then nodded, stepping closer to the table. Adrian reached out tentatively, his fingers brushing over the fabric of her shirt before pressing lightly against her chest.

To his surprise, they were soft, but not the softness of natural flesh. Instead, they had a rubbery texture, giving under his touch but bouncing back like some kind of special material. The squishy sound made sense now.

Adrian quickly withdrew his hand, feeling a bit awkward about the whole situation. "They feel… different."

Lilith laughed, clearly entertained. "Special rubber, I'd say. No wonder she's tired."

The waitress blushed deeper, stepping back from the table. "I didn't have much of a chest growing up. I figured… well, this would help. But it didn't turn out like I'd hoped."

Ava leaned back in her chair, looking thoughtful. "Maybe you need a better replacement."

Selene, ever the kind soul, offered a sympathetic smile. "I'm sure you're doing the best you can. Hopefully, you can leave this place soon."

The waitress nodded, clearly relieved that the conversation was shifting away from her chest. "Thanks. I should get back to work."

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