The woman dropped to her knees with a dull thud.

Her hands trembled as she tried to steady herself on the floor.

When she lifted her head and saw what I was holding, her breathing changed.

Her eyes widened so fast it was almost frightening.

"That sword," she shouted, her voice sharp and cracked, "where did you get it!"

Blood ran down her side, soaking into her clothes, but she didn't even glance at the wound.

Her focus was locked on the weapon in my hand.

I blinked, confused by her reaction.

I looked down at the black sword, then back at her.

"You mean this sword?"

She didn't answer.

Instead, she pushed herself up with a grunt and lunged at me.

Her movement was sloppy, desperate, like she didn't care if she lived or died as long as she reached it.

Sarah yelled my name, but I didn't move out of the way.

The blade went forward almost on its own.

The woman froze mid-step as the sword pierced her.

Her mouth opened, but no sound came out at first.

Then her knees buckled again, and she collapsed to the floor for the second time.

This time, she coughed hard.

Dark blood spilled from her lips and dripped onto the ground.

Her face turned pale, the anger in her eyes slowly giving way to something else, something frantic.

"The sword…" she muttered, forcing the words out.

"I need to tell the master about it…"

Her fingers twitched as if she still planned to crawl toward me.

Even with death staring her in the face, she refused to look away from the weapon.

I didn't respond.

The room still reeked of the drug she had used earlier, and my head felt heavy.

I turned away from her and rushed to the window.

It resisted at first, the frame stuck, but I shoved harder until it opened.

Cold air rushed in.

The strange smell began to thin out, slowly being pushed away by the wind.

I leaned against the wall, breathing deeply.

My vision blurred for a moment, then steadied.

Behind me, I could hear coughing, groaning, bodies shifting as the others slowly came back to themselves.

Minutes passed.

Ten, maybe more.

I turned around when I felt steady enough to stand straight.

My eyes settled on the woman lying on the floor.

She hadn't moved.

Sarah was the first to speak.

"What… happened?"

Her voice was hoarse.

She rubbed her eyes and looked around the room before finally noticing the woman.

She stiffened and took a step closer to me.

"She's dying," Sarah said quietly.

Aria groaned from where she was sitting against the wall.

"My head feels like it's splitting," she muttered.

"Did we,"

She stopped when she saw the blood.

"What happened here?"

Sophia pushed herself up last.

She said nothing at first, just stared at the scene with a tight expression.

I walked back toward the woman and looked down at her.

Her chest rose shallowly, each breath weaker than the last.

Her eyes were still open.

They were still staring at the sword.

Even now.

I crouched slowly, keeping some distance.

"Why?" I asked.

"Why did you react like that when you saw this sword?"

Her lips trembled.

For a moment, I thought she wouldn't answer.

Then she smiled, a small, broken smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Instead of speaking, she clenched her jaw.

I heard a soft crack.

Her body jerked once, then went completely still.

Sarah flinched.

"She bit something," she said.

"Poison, maybe."

I reached out and checked her pulse, though I already knew the answer.

There was nothing.

"She's dead…" Sarah said, staring at the woman's lifeless eyes.

The room felt heavier after that.

No one spoke for a while.

I stood up and rubbed the back of my head.

"We need to leave this place."

Aria looked up at me.

"Just like that?"

"She's already dead," I said.

"And she mentioned a master."

"A doctor."

I paused.

"If he comes back and finds this, it won't end well for us."

Sophia crossed her arms.

"You think he's dangerous?"

"I think anyone who drugs people and sends someone like her isn't someone I want to explain myself to," I said.

Sarah nodded slowly.

"I agree."

"We should go."

Aria sighed and pushed herself to her feet.

"Fine."

"Where do we go then?"

I cleared my throat.

"We stick to the plan."

"We head toward the borders."

Sophia raised an eyebrow.

"And where do we sleep?"

I pointed toward the door.

"In the carriage."

She stared at me for a moment, then her mouth twitched.

"You mean all of us?"

"In that small carriage?"

I shrugged.

"We don't have a choice."

"We'll do that until we reach a city on the southern borders."

Aria snorted.

"That thing barely fits two people comfortably."

"It fits," I said.

"Just not comfortably."

Sarah let out a tired laugh.

"At this point, I'll take uncomfortable over being dead."

Sophia shook her head but didn't argue further.

"I swear, if you kick me in your sleep,"

"I don't kick," I said.

"You move," she shot back.

"A lot."

We gathered what little we had and avoided looking at the body as we left the room.

Still, as I passed through the doorway, I felt a strange weight in my hand.

The sword felt heavier than before.

Outside, the air was cool and clear.

The drugged fog was gone from my head now, but the woman's words echoed in my mind.

"The sword…"

"I need to tell the master…"

Sarah noticed my silence as we walked.

"You okay?"

I glanced down at the black blade.

"She reacted like she knew it."

Aria frowned.

"You think that doctor is after the sword?"

"I don't know," I said honestly.

"But I don't like that she was willing to die over it."

Sophia adjusted her cloak.

"Another reason to keep moving."

We reached the carriage without trouble.

It looked even smaller now that all of us stood beside it.

Aria stared at it and sighed.

"This is going to be a long ride."

Sarah climbed in first.

"I'll take the corner."

Sophia followed, muttering complaints under her breath.

"I'm not sleeping near his sword," she said.

"If it starts talking, I'm out."

"It doesn't talk," I replied, climbing in last.

She gave me a look.

"Yet."

The carriage lurched forward as we set off.

Inside, it was cramped and uncomfortable, just as expected.

Knees bumped, shoulders pressed together, and there was no good way to stretch out.

Still, no one complained too much after that.

As the wheels rolled on and the road stretched ahead, I kept my hand resting near the sword.

No matter how tired I felt, sleep didn't come easily.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw hers.

Even at the end, she never looked away from the blade.

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