Recap
Riven barely survived the attack at the Windmere inn, but the ambush on the road east promises to be worse. A mercenary force blocks their way through a narrow pass — too well-prepared to be random. Someone told them the group's route. And the sword's voice in Riven's head is certain: the traitor is riding with them.
Part 1 — The Descent
Rain began to fall — not a heavy downpour, but a fine mist that clung to skin and steel. It turned the rocks slick and the air colder.
The mercenaries moved like they'd done this before. No shouting. No wasted motion. They descended the ridges in controlled lines, shields raised, boots finding safe footing where there should have been none.
Riven's fingers tightened on his sword. "They're disciplined," he thought.
"And disciplined enemies," the blade murmured in his mind, "don't come cheap. Someone paid them well for this."
Ysera's voice cut through the rain. "Circle formation!"
The six women moved instantly — green armor taking the front with her spear ready, crimson plate bracing beside her like an unshakable wall, the storm-haired fighter crackling with visible static as she guarded the left. White-and-gold shifted to the rear defense, blade held high, and the hooded shadow melted into the rocks at the edge of the group.
Riven ended up near the center. Protected, but not safe. Never safe.
The first mercenary reached the bottom of the ridge — and charged.
Part 2 — Steel on Stone
The clash was sudden and violent. Green armor met the first attacker head-on, her spear striking with enough force to drive the man backward into his own line. Crimson plate swung her heavy blade in a brutal arc that sent two mercenaries sprawling.
A crack of thunder split the air as the storm-haired fighter's weapon discharged, sending a surge of lightning up the metal of an enemy's armor. The man crumpled instantly.
Riven caught movement on the right flank — too far from the main fight. A mercenary slipping through a gap. Coming straight for him.
The sword in his hand seemed to pulse. "On your left. Now."
He pivoted, parried the strike, and shoved his opponent back. The man stumbled on the wet stone, giving Riven just enough time to slash. Steel met steel, then flesh.
He barely had time to breathe before the sword whispered again. "Look past the fight. Watch the women."
Part 3 — The Signal
Riven struck down another mercenary, the impact reverberating through his arm. His breathing was heavy, but not from exhaustion — it was the constant flicker of awareness, the sword urging him to watch.
The green-armored woman spun her spear with deadly precision, holding the front. Crimson plate was a wall of steel, her attacks measured and brutal.
And then — in the chaos — he saw it.
A flick of the wrist. Two fingers raised, then lowered. Subtle, almost lazy, as though brushing rain from a visor. But the mercenary captain on the ridge responded instantly — his formation shifted, pushing hard against the group's right side.
It wasn't random.
Riven's stomach tightened. He knew a signal when he saw one. And the one who gave it wasn't the hooded shadow — it was the white-and-gold knight.
Her face was calm, almost serene, as she cut down another attacker. If she noticed Riven watching, she gave no sign.
The sword's voice was sharp in his head. "There's your answer. But be smart, boy. You name a traitor in the middle of a fight, you'll get a blade in the back before the rain stops."
Part 4 — The Knife's Edge
Riven's grip tightened on his sword, but he forced himself not to look at the white-and-gold knight again. Not directly.
She was still fighting in formation, her movements precise and efficient — the perfect ally. To anyone else, she looked like the most trustworthy person here. And maybe that was the point.
"Riven!" Ysera's voice snapped him back. "Left flank!"
He moved without hesitation, stepping into the gap where green armor had just taken a hit. A spear thrust at him — he deflected it, felt the jarring vibration all the way to his shoulder, then countered with a quick slash across the attacker's chest.
The rain thickened. The air smelled of wet stone, blood, and ozone from the storm-haired fighter's crackling strikes.
Above, more mercenaries were waiting on the ridge — but they didn't descend. They were holding position, as if expecting something. Or waiting for the traitor's next signal.
The sword's voice cut through his thoughts. "Don't confront her here. Let her think you haven't noticed. Watch. Learn. And when you move, make sure she doesn't see it coming."
Riven exhaled slowly, sinking deeper into the rhythm of the fight. The time for accusations would come. But not today.
Not yet.
Part 5 — After the Pass
By the time the last mercenary fell, the rain had faded to a cold drizzle. The pass was littered with bodies, steel, and the smell of iron.
No one spoke for several breaths. The storm-haired fighter leaned on her weapon, her hair plastered to her face. Green armor sat on a rock, wiping her spear clean. Crimson plate stood like a statue, eyes scanning the ridges for stragglers.
The hooded shadow emerged from the mist, her steps silent. "They won't follow," she said. "Not today."
Ysera gave a curt nod. "Mount up. We're not camping here."
Riven obeyed without a word. But his eyes flicked once to the white-and-gold knight. She stood as calm as ever, cleaning her blade with a square of cloth, her movements unhurried.
If she noticed his attention, she gave no sign.
The sword's voice was a low hum. "Patience. The clever hunter never chases. He waits."
As the group rode out of the pass, Riven kept her in his peripheral vision. Rain dripped from her polished armor, the gold edges gleaming faintly in the gray light.
Somewhere ahead lay their destination. Somewhere behind, the first true thread of betrayal had been pulled.
Preview for Chapter 4
As the group nears the city of Blackstone, Riven finds himself drawn into a dangerous game of politics — and learns the mercenary attack was only the first move in a much larger hunt. But when the white-and-gold knight approaches him alone that night, the question becomes: is she trying to warn him… or finish him?
Call to Action
If you've made it this far, you're officially hooked. Bookmark The Betrayer's Edge: My Blade Hates Me, leave a rating, and share your theories — which of the six will survive, and which will betray Riven first?