The hut was small.

Stone walls, thatch roof, no windows. Just a slit near the top that let in cold air and dust. The door dragged across the dirt as I pushed it open.

Inside, it was dark and damp. A single cot sat against the far wall, oddly clean. The frame was free of dust, and a folded blanket rested neatly on top. The firepit in the center was cold and choked with ash. A broken crate leaned in the corner, and the air smelled of stale smoke and damp straw.

I stepped inside first. The floor gave slightly under my boots, soft with age and moisture.

Veyne stepped in behind me and gave the room a once-over. Her eyes lingered on the corners, the doorframe, then the cot.

"Clean," she said, and sat at the edge of it.

I pulled the door shut behind us. It scraped over the dirt and settled into place with a dull sound. I dragged the broken crate over and braced it against the door. It wouldn't hold much, but it might buy a second or two if someone tried to force it. It wouldn't matter against a mage, but better to be ready for something than nothing at all.

Behind me, I heard Veyne let out a small breath, almost a laugh.

"Yeah, nothing stops an intruder like poorly placed furniture."

I shifted the crate a little, just to prove I was serious about the whole makes noise thing.

"Not exactly a fortress, but it'll have to do."

She gave a slight smile. "You're awfully cautious today."

I sat down near the wall. "I'm always cautious."

"Yeah, but now you're wedging a crate against the door like a paranoid innkeeper."

"Crates make me feel safe."

Veyne let out a small laugh, which sounded quite real.

"You're ridiculous," she said, smiling.

I didn't argue.

We ate dried meat and ended up talking more than I expected. Nothing important. Just scraps of conversation that filled the space between the wind and the creaking above.

At some point, Veyne sat cross-legged on the cot, idly picking up at the edge of the blanket.

"How long do we keep this up?" she said, catching me off guard.

She picked at a loose thread. "Hard to remember the last time I stayed in one place."

"How long were you on your own?" I asked.

She shrugged slightly. "Since not long after the surge."

"That's a long time."

She gave a small nod. "Long enough."

I didn't say anything.

The room settled into quiet. Outside, the wind stirred the thatch.

After a moment, she spoke. "You planning on saying something or just sitting there?"

I shrugged. "Depends."

She looked at me, waiting.

"Not tonight." I said.

She smirked, then leaned back. Her eyes closed, but she didn't move to lie down. She was just resting, sitting there like the weight of everything was settling in.

I watched her, feeling the exhaustion settle in me too. My thoughts drifted, pulling me toward the edge of sleep. I leaned back against the wall, letting the quiet take over.

I woke up to the sound of shouting outside.

Veyne was already on her feet, one hand yanking me upright.

"Up," she said, her voice tight.

Light flared through the gaps in the door, flickering orange.

Fire.

A heavy impact hit the door. It came off completely, ripped from the hinges and thrown inward, skidding across the floor.

Yes, the crate didn't hold.

At the open doorway stood a man who looked ordinary, until you noticed the blue flames that crawled up his arms. His eyes moved between us, calm and bored. Behind him, a dozen others stood in formation, surrounding the entrance. Mages, most likely.

"No point dragging this out," he said. "You're coming with us."

Veyne's hand closed around my shoulder.

"No," I said.

Before I could say anything else, the firelight vanished, replaced by open dark and gravel underfoot. We were outside the village.

When the nausea didn't hit right away, I let myself think maybe I was getting used to blinking.

I was corrected a moment later when the second jump brought us to a forest.

Veyne let go of my shoulder and took a step forward, catching her breath. A small flame curled in her hand, throwing flickering light across the trees.

I braced a hand against my knee, trying to keep my insides from turning again.

"Took you long enough."

Veyne turned fast, already shifting her weight like she meant to move. I followed her gaze, still catching my breath.

A figure stepped out from the shadows.

The flame in Veyne's hand flickered across the bark and caught on the edge of a coat we'd seen before.

The old man from the village stood there.

Except now, his eyes shimmered gold in the dark.

"I was only expecting one of you." he said, eyes on the flame. "Hence, the cot."

Veyne didn't answer. The flame in her hand stayed steady.

I straightened. "You knew we'd be there?"

His gaze slid to me.

"I knew she would."

A pause.

"You weren't in the vision."

The old man stepped closer, boots whispering against the forest floor. Veyne stepped in behind me, her grip closing around my shoulder again.

"Relax," the old man said flatly.

He stopped a few paces away, his eyes shifting between us.

"If I meant you harm," he said, "I wouldn't have walked all the way out here."

Veyne didn't answer but I felt the hesitation in her grip.

The old man's eyes turned black, golden glow fading steadily.

Veyne finally spoke. "You're a seer."

I looked at her, confused.

"He sees the future, Jason."

I frowned. "So, he saw us coming?"

"Just her," he said, turning away and walking into the trees.

Veyne didn't move at first. Then the flame in her hand dimmed to a low, steady glow.

We followed.

The old man walked a few steps ahead without needing light.

The trees thinned, giving way to rock and brush. He stopped at a low ridge and stepped aside, motioning with the tilt of his head.

A cave, half-hidden by the slope, its mouth narrow and dark.

Inside, a fire was already burning.

Veyne paused at the entrance, eyes scanning the shadows, then stepped inside without a word.

I followed.

The old man walked in but didn't speak right away. He crouched beside the fire and held his hands out to the heat.

Veyne stood off to the side, arms crossed, watching him without saying much. I stayed near the wall, eyes on the flame.

The silence stretched out, until I finally spoke.

"You said you didn't see me."

He didn't look up. "I didn't."

"But I was there."

"Yes."

I waited for more, but that was all he gave me.

"So, I'm not supposed to be here?" I asked.

He didn't answer right away.

"I saw her. Alone." he said.

He glanced at Veyne, then back at me.

"I cleaned out the hut ahead of time. Figured she'd pass through, rest, and keep moving."

Veyne finally spoke. "Why?"

The old man didn't hesitate.

"Because people like us don't usually get help."