With the bandits scattering into the distance, Ana and Caden stood amid the remnants of the confrontation, the air heavy with the smell of sweat, smoke and blood. Overturned wagons and splintered wood lay strewn across the ground, crates and barrels spilling their contents in a chaotic patchwork. A merchant, his cloak torn and face smeared with dirt, emerged from the debris, gratitude and disbelief mingling in his wide eyes. "I thought we'd lose everything today!" he exclaimed, rushing to Ana with outstretched hands.

The aftermath of the battle lay before them, a landscape of disorder and relief.

Caden stood beside her, his breath coming in short, sharp bursts, the flush of victory bright on his cheeks. Around them, the merchants slowly emerged from their hiding spots, dusting themselves off and blinking as if waking from a bad dream.

The air was thick with the tension of what had just happened and the unexpected relief of its outcome. Ana felt the tightness in her chest ease, though her thoughts remained a jumble of emotions and plans.

Ana flicked blood from her blade and sheathed it smoothly, her movements swift and controlled. Caden lingered, holding his sword with a white-knuckled grip, the enormity of what he'd witnessed still settling in. He blinked, trying to reconcile the lifeless body with the person it had been mere moments before.

One of the merchants hurried forward, his eyes wide with gratitude and lingering fear. He clutched Ana's arm, as if needing to confirm her solid presence, his relief palpable.

"Wasn't planning on sticking around for the massacre," Ana replied, her tone dry. The aftermath felt heavier than the fight itself.

Caden listened intently as a merchant enthusiastically gestured at a map, words pouring out in an excited rush. "Demons near the border," the merchant exclaimed, his finger tracing a route on the parchment. "We barely got away!"

The boy's eyes widened, the lingering thrill of the recent fight blending effortlessly with the anticipation of a new adventure. He looked over at Ana.

Ana's mind was a whirlwind. The mention of demons brought Vektra's face to mind, along with his chilling words: "if you run, he sends more Braldaks." Her hand instinctively touched the scar beneath her collarbone, still raised even after all these years.

Another merchant joined the first, both of them practically buzzing with relief and the prospect of salvation. Their voices were low, urgent, as if sharing secrets that couldn't wait to be told.

"We must celebrate!" one of the merchants declared, his face splitting into a wide grin. "A feast to honor our saviors and our survival!"

The announcement rippled through the group, lifting the remaining fear like a fog giving way to sunlight. Merchants who just moments ago seemed paralyzed with shock now sprang into action, righting wagons and gathering spilled goods with renewed energy.

"Please," the merchant added, turning to Ana and Caden with hopeful eyes. "It's the least we can do. You'll join us, won't you?"

"We should keep moving," she said to Caden and the merchants. The decision felt inevitable, as natural and necessary as drawing breath.

Caden's face fell, his earlier defiance replaced by a pleading earnestness. "We should stay," he urged Ana, his voice insistent but tinged with hope. "What if they know more about the demons?"

Ana hesitated, her resolve battling against Caden's wide-eyed determination. The boy was stubborn, nearly as much as she was. She opened her mouth to refuse again when Ethan's voice slithered into her thoughts.

"You're not going soft, are you, Ana?" It was light and mocking, insidious in its familiarity. "This must be some sort of first."

Her grip tightened around the hilt of her sword.

"You should definitely decline," Ethan's voice echoed through her mind, a mocking lilt underscoring each word.

Ana's grip slackened, her decision twisting with defiant spontaneity. She shot Caden a look, part exasperation and part resignation. "Fine," she said, the single word landing like a concession in an unseen battle. "We'll stay."

The merchants erupted into cheers, their earlier panic now a distant memory in the wake of Ana's unexpected agreement. Jubilant voices filled the air, mingling with the sound of crates being righted and goods collected.

Caden's face lit up with triumph.

The evening glow cast a warm light over the hastily arranged camp, where laughter and clinking plates replaced the day's chaos. exotic spices and succulent meats grilling over open flames. The sweet tang of pickled vegetables mingled with the earthy aroma of fragrant herbs and the warm, comforting smell of freshly baked bread.

Caden hesitated, peering curiously at a plate piled high with food. "What is all this?" he asked, his voice a mix of wariness and intrigue.

Ana raised an eyebrow, her mouth curving into a sly grin. "Rice dumplings," she replied. "And that's firecracker tofu. Ever had pickled lotus root?"

Ana snorted at Caden's hesitation. "You're not scared of food, are you?" she teased, poking at the colorful spread with her chopsticks. "You fight bandits but draw the line at a steamed bun?"

Caden flushed and grabbed a dumpling, nearly dropping it when the hot filling burst in his mouth. "I just thought..." he started, then paused, considering. "How do you know so much about all this?"

Her grin widened as she skewered a piece of tofu. "I've had my share of odd meals," she replied, her tone nonchalant. But beneath it was a hint of something else—experience and maybe even something like joy.

Caden sampled a pickled plum, his face puckering with each bite. "This stuff is strange," he admitted, popping another into his mouth regardless. "But it's good."

Ana smirked, enjoying his cautious experimentation. "Wait until you try the dragon breath peppercorns," she said, pointing to a dish that steamed ominously.

He sniffed it suspiciously, then reached for it with reluctant curiosity. "What's it do?"

"Numbs your tongue. Or maybe burns it off."