Satsu had never considered herself a fickle woman. She was a spy, raised to this life practically from birth. She was devoted to the mission, to her cover, prepared to stay the course for years.

And yet, five days ago she had landed on Cradle and thought how exciting it would be to get to go outside. To soak up sunlight that came from an actual star and filtered through an actual atmosphere, to breathe air that wasn’t recycled, to walk in grass and run her hand along the green things that were actually growing from the ground.

How quickly that excitement had faded. How quickly her mind had shifted into complaints about yet another day of tromping through the wilderness, where it was cold and wet and muddy and…well, maybe if the wilderness had managed to make itself less creepy. Maybe that would have helped.

“You’re complaining again,” Rinn called out from about twenty feet ahead, near hidden by the thick brush.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Didn’t have to.”

“Are you sure you’re not an empath?”

Thick branches lifted, clearing the path so Satsu could see Rinn leaning against a tree, hip cocked, a grin brightening her face. “Five days out here with you, I don’t have to be. Soon as it gets rough, I know what you’re thinking.”

What Satsu had actually been thinking was of a spa in Kanto, secluded pools of steaming water that she had snuck away to many times during her training. She was pretty sure Rinn didn’t know that, wouldn’t guess. But the details didn’t matter. Satsu had been wishing she wasn’t here, and Rinn was right enough about that.

Well, almost. Satsu might be tired of the wilderness, but she absolutely was not tired of Rinn.

Crashing, snapping branches was the only warning Rinn got before Max came racing down the path she’d just opened, trumpeting his “come see!” bark. He ran right by her, his bulk enough to set her off balance, forcing her to turn and catch herself, laughing the entire time. Max splayed forward in front of Satsu, entreating her to follow, then jumped up, spun around, and took a similar pose towards Rinn.

Rinn laughed. “Looks like Max found our boundary.”

“I’m just glad someone is having a good time.”

In truth, everyone but Satsu seemed to be having a good time. And even she was not entirely regretting being here. It was good to see Max so happy, getting to run all over and chase little rodents and generally make a fool of himself. Rinn was cocky, confident, and competent, and that combination had never failed to win Satsu over. So even if the surroundings were a mess, the company was quite pleasant.

If only they hadn’t had to keep dealing with the thing they’d been sent here to do.

Max had indeed found the boundary—the line in the woods that was almost invisible unless you knew what you were looking for. Rinn could just feel it, her akashic senses attuned. Max, too, was able to recognize it through some doggy sense, unerringly locating the boundaries once he’d figured out what it was they were looking for.

To Satsu, it was barely noticeable: a few bare branches, a few dead bushes. For the most part, the forest seemed untouched. But there was…a discomfort. A sense that she shouldn’t be here. That something was behind her, over her shoulder. That if she turned fast enough, she could see it lurking, waiting, watching.

Nothing was there. She knew that in her conscious mind. She knew that through her empathic senses. Still, that didn’t erase the feeling. It didn’t make anything less creepy.

Satsu tossed Max a treat from the pouch at her waist. “Good boy. Well done.”

Rinn tapped the metal cuff around her wrist and a map projected down onto the ground. They’d been using it to mark their progress, and a roughly circular shape was starting to form. Rinn pointed to the center. “That’s where we’re going to find it.”

“Find what?”

But Rinn wouldn’t say. “It looks like several more miles of hiking. I don’t think we should try any further tonight. Let’s head back down. Now we have an actual spot to aim for, we can try flying up tomorrow.”

“Oh thank the ancestors.” It slipped out before Satsu could stop herself.

Rinn just grinned. “Come on, Max. I’ll race you to the bottom.”

Satsu was happy to put the eerie part of the forest at her back, but she was all too conscious of the fact tomorrow they’d be coming back. And they’d be going all the way inside.