Kyrie knocked softly on the door and waited, holding her breath as she listened for any sign of movement inside. For a moment, there was nothing but silence. She glanced back down the hallway toward the soldier standing watch, his silhouette rigid in the dim light.
She reached for the handle and tried it carefully. The door opened with a soft creak.
Kyrie stepped inside, raising her candle slightly as her eyes adjusted to the dim room. The small space looked much like her own: simple stone walls, a wooden trunk, a narrow bed. Her gaze settled on Erica, lying beneath the blankets in a nightgown, sleep mask still in place, completely oblivious to everything happening downstairs.
Kyrie approached quietly, careful not to startle her. She reached out and gently tapped Erica’s shoulder. “Hey… ma’am?” she whispered softly. “Ma’am? I need you to wake up, please.”
Erica stirred faintly, then suddenly jerked upright, pulling one earplug free as she turned toward Kyrie. “What?” she demanded, still half disoriented. “Where’s David? Is he okay?”
Kyrie blinked, momentarily surprised, and touched, by the immediate concern. “It’s okay,” she reassured her quickly, keeping her voice low. “He’s fine.”
Erica visibly relaxed, though only slightly.
“But there’s… a situation downstairs,” Kyrie continued quietly. “A bunch of guys in armor with swords came in. They’re making everyone go downstairs. If you don’t want to go down in… that…” she gestured vaguely to the nightgown, “you should probably change fast.”
Erica stared at her. Confusion crossed her face first, followed quickly by irritation, the sort of indignation that seemed entirely in character. But as she studied Kyrie’s expression more closely, the irritation faded, replaced by something more serious. Kyrie wasn’t joking.
Erica swung her legs over the side of the bed. “Alright,” she muttered, already reaching for her clothes. She moved quickly, pulling on her pants and sweater with practiced efficiency. Within moments, she was dressed and pushing to her feet, her expression already settling into its familiar, sharp-edged composure.
Together, they stepped back into the hallway.
Erica’s gaze immediately landed on the armored soldier standing near the stairs. A soft gasp escaped her before she could stop it. Then her expression hardened. Her eyes narrowed, lips pressing into a thin line as her face settled into what Kyrie had already come to recognize as Erica’s formidable, harpy-like glare.
The soldier actually hesitated, just slightly, visibly taken aback by the force of her expression. Then, silently, he turned and gestured toward the stairs.
The two women followed. As they descended, Kyrie could feel the tension building again, the murmured voices below growing clearer.
The group looked up as Erica entered the room, David immediately leaning forward in his chair as if to make sure she was alright.
The elf-like man with the raven emblem watched her join the others, his sharp gaze taking in the final addition to the group. Now, it seemed… everyone was accounted for.