She stopped, turned to glare at him, face flushed.
"Are you seriously propositioning a woman walking to her death?" she demanded.
"Why not?" he countered. "You said you're already dead. Might as well enjoy yourself one last time."
For a moment, he thought she might slap him.
Then—
She laughed again. That same bitter, resigned laugh.
"You're insane," she said, but continued walking. "Or a pervert. Probably both."
"Definitely both," he agreed cheerfully, still following, still watching her ass sway.
They walked in silence for perhaps another ten minutes, the path growing steeper, the forest thicker.
Until finally—
The woman stopped at the mouth of a large cave.
The opening was perhaps fifteen feet tall, carved naturally by water and time, leading into darkness that seemed to swallow light.
And from that darkness—
Cang's spiritual sense detected it immediately.
A presence. Old. Powerful. Dormant but aware.
