Renee and Xia Lun

Xia Lun did not rush to answer Renee's question.

He took thick logs from his backpack and placed them in a spot sheltered from the wind inside the cave.

Then he laid pine needles, dead leaves, and thin twigs over the logs as kindling, tucking a few strands of pale tinder among them.

A light strike of the flint sent orange sparks onto the tinder. A small flame caught and spread to the kindling.

Whoosh—

The campfire sprang to life. Warmth flowed through the cave, and its flickering light drove away the weariness and chill of their flight.

Xia Lun let out a long breath and looked back.

Orange light shone in Renee's azure eyes. She was watching him quietly and intently, as though learning how to build a fire.

But the warm firelight suddenly wavered. Cold, viscous darkness pressed in, and the campfire seemed ready to go out at any moment.

Before Xia Lun could speak, Renee swiftly pulled out a stick of Blood Wax and slipped it between the logs. The wavering flames steadied at once.

Xia Lun watched the dancing flames for a while. The safety and peace of returning to a shelter after an adventure welled up inside him.

Because the darkness suppressed the flames, their light stayed firmly within the cave. Xia Lun did not have to worry about it attracting wandering evil spirits.

"Good work, Renee," Xia Lun said. "Rest for a bit. I'll make us something to eat."

Renee nodded obediently, but instead of resting, she took a sleeping bag from her backpack and quickly made up a bed.

Xia Lun glanced at Renee, then looked away. With a turn of his wrist, he conjured the Bottomless Coffee Cup White Line had given him and set it over the campfire to heat.

He