"Are you ready to go?" the Queen asked gently, placing the cap on Prince Claren's head with a tender smile.
"Yes, Mother!" the child exclaimed with delight, his eyes sparkling. He was brimming
with excitement, he couldn't wait to see his Uncle Craige, Luren, and play with the wolf again.
The Queen turned to Prince Karin, her gaze soft but serious. "Take care of him, Prince
Karin," she said, her voice filled with motherly concern.
"Yes, Your Majesty. I will protect him with my life," Karin replied with unwavering sincerity, placing a hand on his chest in solemn vow.
The Queen bent down and pulled Claren into a warm embrace, holding him tightly as if
trying to imprint the moment in her heart.
"Come here, son. Give me a hug," the King called as he stepped outside, his tone full of
affection.
Claren ran to him and wrapped his small arms around his father's waist, hugging him
tightly.
"Be careful, and enjoy your stay in the North," the King said warmly, planting a
soft kiss on his son's cheek.
"Yes, Father," Claren replied, smiling brightly, his heart full of joy and anticipation.
The carriage, soldiers, and Claren's nanny were already waiting by the grand entrance.
"We will leave now, Your Majesty," Prince Karin said respectfully as he bowed, then
gently lifted Claren into the carriage.
The King and Queen stood silently, watching as the carriage slowly rolled out of the
palace gates, their expressions unreadable but heavy with concern.
"Miller," King Carl called, his voice low and serious. His personal shadow stepped from
the side.
"Take five elite soldiers with you and follow them discreetly. No one must notice."
"At your command, my King," Miller said firmly, then vanished into the shadows like mist in the wind.
Inside the carriage, Claren gazed out the window with sparkling eyes. "Prince Karin, I'm excited to meet them again. I felt so sad when Uncle Craige and Luren left one after the other. And Mother and Father… they're always too busy for me," he said softly, his small legs swinging above the floor as he tried to hide the ache in his heart.
Karin looked at him with a smile that masked his own sorrow. "Are you tired of me already? Because I'm your only company now," he teased, gently nudging Claren's side.
Claren giggled, the sound light and warm, easing the tension in the carriage. "No,
you're my favorite company!" he declared, leaning against Karin with trust only a child could give.
The boy shook his head. "No! But I want everyone to be in one place—it's more fun that way," he said with innocent honesty, his eyes full of hope.
"Don't worry," Karin said with a gentle smile, adjusting the boy's clothes carefully.
"We'll be staying in the north for many days, so you can play as much as you want."
Even as he spoke, Karin's heart agreed with the boy. He, too, longed for everyone to be
together, because deep down, he wanted to see him again.
Karin turned his gaze toward the window. The road ahead was long, and the journey
would take days. A quiet hope filled his chest.
Please...let us reach the north safely.
---
They entered the Gravehollow Woods, a grim and haunting forest where the twisted
trees clawed at the sky and an unnatural mist clung low to the ground. The air was heavy with silence, a suffocating stillness that felt like the forest itself was watching them. Even the howls of distant creatures seemed swallowed by the thick, oppressive shadows.
They traveled in three wolvesleighs, powerful war sleds pulled by massive, beastly wolves bred for speed and endurance. Roan and Luren rode on the lead sled, Mara and Clara followed in the second, and two grim-faced soldiers brought up the
rear.
Roan gripped the hilt of his blade tightly, eyes scanning the darkness.
"Be ready to defend yourselves," he said, his voice low but firm as he unsheathed his
sword with a steely rasp. The others silently followed his lead, weapons drawn, tension crackling in the air like a storm waiting to break.
"Stay quiet," Roan warned again, glancing over his shoulder. "And don't make unnecessary noise… we don't want to wake the hibernating monsters that dwell in this cursed forest."
A shiver ran down Clara's spine, and even the wolves seemed uneasy, their ears twitching at every crunch of frost beneath the runners.
Luren looked around, eyes straining in the dimness, he couldn't see where they had
come from. It felt as if the forest had swallowed them whole, trapping them in
its dark and oppressive embrace.
The wolves kept running, directionless, as if instinct alone drove them forward. They had
departed at lunchtime, but once they crossed into the Gravehollow Woods, the
daylight seemed to vanish. The thick canopy above choked the sun, casting everything in a heavy twilight that never lifted.
"I... I don't see anything," Clara whispered, her voice trembling. "Can we light a fire?"
"Don't!" Mara snapped, reaching out quickly to stop her hand from grabbing the lamp. Her
eyes darted nervously into the shadows. "They'll wake up... They hate the light,
any kind of it. It makes them aggressive."
"Who are we talking to?" Clara asked, her voice trembling as fear crept into her eyes.
"Those who live in these woods," Mara said, her tone low and wary.
"How are we supposed to find them in this darkness?" Luren asked, his voice uneasy as he scanned the shadowy trees around them.
"The wolves can smell blood," Roan replied grimly, his hand tightening on his sword.
"You mean…someone has to bleed for them to find us?" Luren asked, his voice rising
slightly, nervousness clear in his tone.
"I think some already have," Roan said, his eyes narrowing as he listened intently. "The
soldiers found blood in the carriage."
Roan swung his sword, the silver blade slicing through something thick and heavy with a sickening shluck.
Luren glanced back, startled. "Was that a big plant?" he asked, eyes darting through
the darkness, but there was nothing in sight. Still, he was certain Roan had struck something real. Moments later, they heard Mara's blade cut through the air, followed by a wet snap.
Roan's voice was low and tense. "It's a man-eating plant… they live here too," he said, his grip tightening on the sword as his eyes scanned the shadowy undergrowth. "And they're hungry."
They heard a monster's howl, deep and bone-chilling, that made the wolves falter, their pace slowing as tension gripped the riders. Eyes darted in every direction,
searching the oppressive darkness for the danger that was surely closing in.
"It sounds like someone already woke them," Roan muttered grimly, his voice low and tight.
The lead wolf suddenly veered left, chasing the echo of the howl.
"Duck! A swarm of bats is coming!" Roan shouted, quickly pressing his hand on Luren's head to force him down. Mara mirrored the motion, shielding Clara, while the two soldiers ducked instinctively.
Luren clenched his jaw as he crouched low. He heard the furious rustling of leathery
wings above them and the shrill, piercing cries that sliced through the air as the bats passed overhead, so close he could feel the wind off their wings. The sound left a chill that clung to his bones, as if something far darker than bats had just flown past.
Before they could lift their heads, the wolves came to a sudden, jarring stop.
A heavy thump echoed through the woods, something massive was coming their way.
"Get out of the sled!" Roan shouted, but it was already too late.
A monstrous beast loomed beside them, its red eyes glowing with rage, a deep growl rumbling from its throat.
Luren raised his sword, hands trembling as he pointed it at the creature. It towered over them like a nightmare made flesh. Roan stood beside him, sword drawn, but even together they knew, they couldn't bring it down with blades alone. Even if they wounded it, the beast wouldn't flinch.
With a roar, the monster raised its massive arm, claws gleaming in the dim light. It was ready to strike.
"Run!" Roan yelled, grabbing Luren's arm to pull him back, but they were too slow.
The beast was already moving.