Derek moved to separate them, but his sister shot him a glare. Scarlet held up her hands and offered an ambiguous smile: "I didn't say anything offensive. Quite the contrary... you should reflect on the matter: protecting your queen to make sure she won't end up exactly like the Ravenous One —"
Iza wasn't an impulsive person. Derek often praised her tolerance, her control, and her cool head, yet in that circumstance, she couldn't hold back. Perhaps it was due to stress and exhaustion, or perhaps that irritating woman was the cause of it all. Either way, Iza tried to strike Scarlet, who threw herself backward at the last second, dodging the punch.
The people around them stepped back, while Derek and Mark moved to separate the two women. When they were finally far enough apart not to hurt each other further, Iza began to calm down. She had a split lip, which she licked, looking with satisfaction at the bruise forming on Scarlet's face.
"Have you let off enough steam?" her opponent commented irritably, pulling away from Mark. She shot one last look at Iza and left the inn.
"What has gotten into you?" her brother whispered to Iza, who remained silent. Scarlet's look had surprised her: she hadn't seemed angry, in fact...
"I'm going to do a perimeter check." Derek raised a hand to stop her, but Iza had already walked away, exiting the inn.
He huffed and ran his hands through his messy dark hair. "Those two are going to end up killing each other sooner or later," Mark commented, placing a hand on his traveling companion's shoulder.
"We apologize for the mess..." Adelina and William smoothed things over with the innkeeper, who had been frightened by the conflict.
"Do you need a doctor for those two?"
The sound of chatter in the inn grew increasingly distant, and Iza found herself immersed in the silence of the night. She only heard her own footsteps crunching on the ground, but she knew she was being watched: Scarlett was following her in the shadows. She hadn't gone out with the intention of finding her; she wanted to get some air and make sure there were no other dangers nearby.
One thing that frustrated her was knowing she wasn't on the same level as Scarlett: it was a matter of knowledge regarding the dangerous world her Queen wandered in, of which she knew nothing useful. How could she expect to defend her if she knew nothing of their enemies? Furthermore, the skills she possessed wouldn't be enough for a fight against demonic beings.
"Are you feeling better?"
I didn't even hear her coming, Iza thought, gritting her teeth. She turned, seeing the woman sitting on the roof of a small house along the street.
"How's your face?" she shot back, beginning to climb up to join her.
Scarlett stared at her without answering. The atmosphere was different than usual between them.
"I'm sorry I hurt you with my words. I am merely interested in understanding what kind of relationship your Queen has with demons... it's the reason I fight and risk my life every day."
"I know that, but I can assure you that she does too." Iza took a seat not far from her, even though the conversation made them feel closer than normal. The moon was bright, and the night sky was dotted with small glimmers: the stars seemed more visible than usual. It would have been an enchanting night if there weren't unknown dangers waiting for them in the dark. "What happened to your princess can't be the norm here. Am I right?"
"No..." Iza grabbed her throwing knife, with its red and silver hilt, and began playing with it, as she usually did when she was nervous.
Scarlet watched her silently, savoring the quiet of the moment, and was sorry when she interrupted it: "I think your kingdom will face many dangers now."
"I figured."
"You are lucky to have your Queen. Without her, it would probably be impossible to save your kingdom."
"I, on the other hand, know nothing," Iza muttered, admiring the dark of the night. That peace was only apparent, and deep down she knew it would last very little. "I don't know how I can help her... it drives me crazy." With a quick flick of her wrist, she threw the dagger in front of her. It lodged into the trunk of a nearby tree, dead center.
Scarlet smiled, then grabbed her own dagger and did the same, aiming so hers would stick just above Iza's.
"You're not bad. Sometimes knowledge can do little where talent, instead, can save the day."
"Against a demon?"
"Demons aren't as invincible as you think. The Ravenous One was an... extreme case."
"How many have you killed?"
"A few. Like I said, they aren't that common. At least, they weren't. The situation has changed lately." She paused, then continued: "The Order has trained for years to avert this kind of threat. I need to know more... it's why I'm here. I want to help you."
"You'd better ask the Queen. I can't help with that. I found out everything over the last few days..." Iza looked away, surprised by the intensity in her old enemy's eyes. They were collaborating now, and as strange as it was to think, Iza felt reassured having her by her side in that situation.
"Alright... in the meantime, if this is of any use to you," she reached inside her black jacket and pulled out a small booklet: "I've written various notes on demons. I can lend it to you."
She handed it to Iza, who turned it over in her hands, looking at a few pages. Her eyes lit up: she was an extremely curious person and loved to read. If Derek had seen her in that moment, he would have teased her, as usual.
"Thank you, Scarlet."
"You're welcome."
The nocturnal silence enveloped them, which they both welcomed with pleasure. Iza turned her eyes to the stars and lay back on the roof, planting her feet firmly to avoid slipping. Scarlet did the same.
"Scarlet... is that your real name?"
The woman beside her didn't move, but Iza sensed the tension in her body: "Why do you care?" The annoyed tone left no room for doubt on the matter. It was not a conversation she wanted to have.
"Knowing your enemies well is a must if you want to survive."
"So we're back to being enemies now."
"You were hunting us not too long ago, so..." Iza turned to her, discovering that Scarlet was already looking at her, probably had been for a while.
"And yet I didn't capture you... we are allies now, aren't we?" The woman's smirk made Iza's heart beat faster for some reason. She felt nervous and, at the same time, eager to understand what was going through the head of the person beside her.
"After this journey is over... will we still be?"
Scarlet turned serious: "You are not enemies of the Empire, and you do not help demons, and for this reason, I don't see why we should go back to being enemies... unless you prefer our rivalry."
"No." For some reason, Iza's eyes fell to Scarlet's lips. She quickly turned away, trying to hide the blush on her cheeks.
Scarlet had noticed the change, but merely smiled, saying nothing about it. "You are more interesting than I thought," she whispered, more to the night than to the woman beside her.