Chapter 8: A Fragile Alliance

The glow of the runes on the shattered statue faded slowly, leaving the ruin in a cold, uneasy silence. Serenya sat on the stone floor, her hands still trembling from the surge of magic she’d called upon. Across the room, Drenic paced restlessly, his dagger in hand as his sharp gray eyes scanned the darkened corners of the chamber.

“That thing wasn’t a coincidence,” Serenya said finally, her voice breaking the quiet.

“Of course it wasn’t,” Drenic replied without looking at her. “You’re being hunted by people who command shadowbeasts and, apparently, walking nightmares. Nothing about this is random.”

Serenya clutched the pendant beneath her cloak, its weight cold and familiar against her palm. “They sent it for me,” she murmured. “It knew my name.”

Drenic stopped pacing, turning to face her. “That’s not surprising. Whoever’s after you clearly has resources, magic, and information. But that thing…” He gestured toward the space where the shadow creature had been. “That’s not something you just summon on a whim.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means whoever’s pulling the strings is more dangerous than we thought.”

The realization settled over them like a heavy fog, thick with unspoken fears. Serenya leaned her head back against the cold stone wall, exhaustion tugging at her, but her mind refused to rest.

“They won’t stop,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“No,” Drenic agreed. He sheathed his dagger and sat on the edge of a broken pillar, his expression thoughtful. “But we can make it harder for them to find us.”

“How?”

“First, we need to get out of the Wilds. Staying here isn’t an option.”

Serenya frowned. “I thought this place was supposed to keep us hidden.”

“It’ll buy us time,” Drenic said. “But the magic here? It’s old and unpredictable. That shadow thing might’ve been drawn here because of it.”

Serenya shuddered at the thought. The idea of facing more creatures like the one they’d just defeated was enough to make her stomach twist.

“Then where do we go?”

Drenic hesitated before answering. “There’s a village about a day’s travel west. It’s remote, out of the way, and full of people who don’t ask questions.”

“Do you think we’ll be safe there?”

“Safe?” He smirked faintly. “No. But it’ll give us a chance to regroup, figure out who’s coming for you and why.”

They left the ruin before sunrise, the forest still cloaked in darkness. The air was damp and heavy, clinging to Serenya’s skin as she followed Drenic through the twisting paths of the Wilds. The trees seemed to loom closer with every step, their branches forming jagged patterns against the dim light of dawn.

Drenic moved with his usual quiet confidence, his steps light and deliberate. Serenya tried to mimic his movements, but her boots snagged on roots and uneven ground, slowing her pace.

“Try to step where I step,” Drenic said, glancing back at her.

“I’m trying,” she muttered, irritation creeping into her voice.

“Try harder,” he replied, though his tone held more amusement than malice.

Serenya scowled but didn’t argue.

By midday, the oppressive silence of the Wilds began to weigh on her. The faint rustling of leaves and the occasional birdcall were the only sounds, and every shadow seemed to shift in her peripheral vision.

“Do you always walk this quietly?” she asked, breaking the quiet.

“It’s a habit,” Drenic replied, not breaking stride. “Noise gets you noticed. And getting noticed gets you killed.”

“How comforting,” Serenya said dryly.

He glanced over his shoulder, his smirk faint. “You wanted a guide, not a cheerleader.”

Serenya rolled her eyes but didn’t press further.

As the day wore on, the terrain grew steeper, the trail winding through rocky hills and dense undergrowth. Serenya’s legs ached, and the weight of her satchel seemed to double with every step.

“Do you ever stop?” she asked, her breath coming in short gasps.

Drenic paused, turning to face her. His expression softened slightly as he noticed her fatigue. “We’ll rest at the next clearing. It’s not far.”

“Good,” she muttered, leaning against a tree for support.

He studied her for a moment before stepping closer. “You’re not used to this, are you?”

“What gave it away?” Serenya replied, her tone sharp.

Drenic chuckled. “Most people who’ve spent their lives locked in towers don’t have much practice hiking through cursed forests.”

Serenya’s glare could have burned holes in his smug expression, but she lacked the energy to argue.

They reached the clearing a short time later, the space offering a brief respite from the dense forest. Serenya dropped her satchel to the ground and sank onto a fallen log, her body aching with exhaustion.

Drenic moved to the edge of the clearing, his sharp gaze scanning the treeline.

“Do you ever rest?” Serenya asked, watching him.

“Resting gets you killed,” he replied without looking at her.

“You keep saying that,” she said, annoyance creeping into her voice. “But you’re not exactly making this easier.”

He turned to face her, his smirk returning. “I didn’t sign up to make things easy. I signed up to keep you alive.”

Serenya’s glare deepened, but before she could respond, a low growl echoed from the shadows of the forest.

Drenic froze, his hand going to the hilt of his dagger.

“Stay behind me,” he said, his voice low and firm.

Serenya rose slowly, her heart pounding. The growl came again, closer this time, followed by the sound of something large moving through the undergrowth.

The bushes parted, and a massive wolf stepped into the clearing. Its fur was black as midnight, its eyes glowing an unnatural shade of yellow.

“Great,” Drenic muttered. “Just what we needed.”

The wolf bared its teeth, a deep snarl rumbling in its chest.

“What do we do?” Serenya whispered, clutching the pendant beneath her cloak.

“Don’t run,” Drenic said, his voice steady. “Wolves like this? They love a chase.”

The wolf stepped closer, its gaze locked on Serenya.

“Why is it looking at me?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“Maybe it doesn’t like your perfume,” Drenic quipped.

Serenya shot him a glare. “This isn’t the time for jokes.”

The wolf lunged.

Drenic moved first, stepping between Serenya and the beast. His dagger slashed through the air, grazing the wolf’s shoulder as it snapped at him with razor-sharp teeth.

“Get back!” he barked at Serenya, his focus entirely on the wolf.

She stumbled backward, her mind racing. The pendant beneath her cloak pulsed faintly, its magic stirring.

Closing her eyes, she reached out with her gift.

A vision flickered before her mind’s eye—the wolf lunging again, its movements fluid and deadly. She saw the way its body twisted, the vulnerable spot beneath its neck exposed for a fleeting moment.

“Drenic, its neck!” she shouted.

He didn’t question her. As the wolf lunged again, Drenic sidestepped, driving his dagger into the soft fur beneath its throat.

The wolf yelped, its body convulsing before collapsing to the ground.

The clearing fell silent once more.

Drenic wiped his blade clean, his chest heaving. “That was close,” he muttered, turning to Serenya. “Nice call.”

She nodded, her legs shaking as she sank back onto the log.

“Do you always see things like that?” Drenic asked, his tone curious.

“Only when I have to,” Serenya replied, her voice quiet.

He studied her for a moment, then shrugged. “Well, whatever it is, it’s keeping us alive. Let’s hope it stays that way.”

They left the clearing soon after, the weight of the encounter hanging over them. As they moved deeper into the Wilds, Serenya couldn’t shake the feeling that the wolf’s appearance hadn’t been random.

Something—or someone—was still hunting her.

And they were getting closer.

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