"Okay," I said, cracking my knuckles like a discount superhero. "We've trained. We've bonded. I just lit a tree on fire—accidentally, but still. I feel ready. Let's fight."
Lucien didn't share my enthusiasm. He was staring at the treetops like he could hear the storm rolling in. His jaw clenched.
"There are too many of them."
"Oh come on, how many is too many?" I asked, spinning my dagger like I knew what I was doing.
Then I saw them.
A pair of glowing red eyes blinked in the shadows.
Then another.
And another.
And another.
Within seconds, the forest looked like a Black Friday sale at a monster convention.
Lucien gave me a sidelong glance. "That many."
I squinted. "Okay. Yeah. That's… a lot. So, Plan A — fight?"
Lucien raised an eyebrow.
"Right. Plan B — RUN!"
We bolted.
Branches whipped against my face as I tore through the woods, hair a tangled disaster, dress ripping with every step. I could hear the snarling behind us — fast, guttural, close.
They moved like shadows with teeth.
"This is not what I trained for!" I yelled.
"You didn't train!" Lucien shot back.
Fair point.
Celine barked in my mind, tail practically wagging in excitement.
> "Let me take over! I can outrun them!"
> "Great idea," I snapped, "but I like having working ankles!"
Diaris sighed dramatically.
> "I say we turn and fight. I'll even glamour your hair so you look cool."
> "Not helpful, Diaris!"
We ducked under a low branch, skidding down a steep hill like uncoordinated penguins. I lost a shoe. Lucien lost patience. We hit a patch of mud that smelled vaguely like rotten broccoli and regret.
When we finally stopped, Lucien wheezed, "Still feel ready to fight?"
Flat on my back, I raised a hand weakly. "Absolutely. As long as fighting means lying here and hoping they trip over me."
He actually laughed — laughed. The sound was warm, real, and entirely out of place in this mess.
"Come on," he said, helping me up. "There's a hidden passage nearby. We can lose them."
"Will it involve more running?"
"Yes."
I groaned. "I miss being a maid. The worst thing back then was getting bleach in my socks."
We sprinted again, diving into a narrow cave just as the horde thundered past. I collapsed onto the cold stone floor, gasping for air.
"I'm officially retiring from being brave," I said between breaths. "From now on, I'm strictly sarcasm and snacks."
Lucien smiled — a real one this time. "You did well."
I blinked at him. "Seriously?"
"You didn't die. That's a start."
I grinned, still panting. "Put that on my tombstone: Didn't die. Mostly screamed."
He chuckled again, but his eyes flicked toward the cave entrance — sharp, alert.
The laughter faded.
The silence outside was too still.
"They're not gone," he murmured.