The next morning, the Upper Chamber felt less tense than the night before — but only in the way a storm feels calm before it breaks.
Aaren still caught himself glancing toward the ridge from yesterday.
Lenara, on the other hand, was skipping flat stones across a shallow basin of water, humming something that sounded suspiciously like a tavern song.
Koro was leaning on his staff, watching her, then absentmindedly flipping it between his hands like a show-off.
Withered Flame stood further off, sharpening the edge of a spearhead. His gaze, as always, was drawn to the horizon — watchful, but unreadable.
"You're staring at that ridge again," Lenara said suddenly without looking at him. "If you stare any longer, it's going to blush."
"I'm making sure our stalker doesn't come back," Aaren replied.
Koro grinned. "Maybe you want them to come back. Secret admirer?"
Before Aaren could reply, a faint clatter echoed from the ridge.
Everyone froze.
From the top of the stone slope, a figure appeared — tall and gangly, wearing a patched-up coat that seemed to be made from at least four different animals. His hair was a mess of curls tied together with bits of cloth, and on his back, he carried… what looked like a rusted cooking pot strapped like a shield.
"Uh…" Lenara tilted her head. "Do we… know you?"
The stranger threw his hands up in a grand gesture, as if presenting himself to an audience that wasn't there.
"I am Tibbin Cragglehook! Master of—" He stopped, frowned, then tapped his chin. "Actually, I'm still working on the title."
Koro's grin grew wider. "Oh, I like him already."
Aaren didn't lower Levitine. "You were watching us yesterday. Why?"
Tibbin clutched at his chest in mock hurt. "Ah! So you did notice! Yes, yes… I was watching because…" He stepped forward, lowering his voice as if revealing a deep secret. "I want in."
"In?" Lenara asked.
"In… your thing! Your group! The Emberbound!" Tibbin said with the dramatic flair of someone naming a legendary order — except the Emberbound wasn't exactly well-known here.
Withered Flame's eyes narrowed. "And what makes you think we'd let you join?"
Tibbin's grin widened. "Because I'm useful. I can cook, sew, climb trees faster than squirrels, and—" he pulled a bent metal fork from his coat "—I can fight with this."
There was a long pause.
Lenara burst out laughing. "You're insane."
Koro stepped forward, clasping Tibbin's hand like they were old friends. "Welcome aboard!"
"Wait—" Aaren started.
But Tibbin was already digging in his pockets, pulling out a small leather pouch and tossing it to Aaren. Inside were dried berries, a strange glimmering stone, and a folded scrap of paper covered in messy drawings of what looked like giant chickens.
"That's my resume," Tibbin said proudly.
Aaren stared at him, then sighed, lowering Levitine. "You're… not exactly what I expected."
"That's the point," Tibbin replied. "No one expects me. Makes me unpredictable. And unpredictable keeps you alive."
Levitine's voice whispered in Aaren's mind, sounding more bemused than concerned. This one is… strange. But perhaps strange has its uses.
Lenara leaned close to Aaren, smirking. "I like him. He's either going to save us one day or get us all killed. Either way, it'll be interesting."
And just like that, the Emberbound gained its weirdest member yet.