Another growl echoed out of nowhere—a second beast came charging through the shadows, its footsteps heavy and wild.
"Luren…" Clara shouted, her voice trembling, as she caught sight of him, illuminated by the sudden light from a soldier's lantern. None of them had noticed the soldier's arrival, their focus stolen by the chaos of the beast's attack.
The new beast lunged, not at them, but at the creature that had been ready to strike.
"It's the Grizzly," Roan breathed, a wave of relief washing over his tense face.
Then, from the shadows, a figure leapt down and landed with a heavy thud.
"How dare you enter the Gravehollow Woods without me, boy!" the man barked as he strode toward them, eyes sharp as knives.
"Sorry, Uncle Borg," Roan said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.
"That's enough, Drei, don't kill your brother" Borg commanded, his voice firm. The
massive Grizzly stopped mid-growl, standing protectively in front of them. The
other beast let out a low whimper, stepping back in Luren and Clara stood frozen, their jaws slack in disbelief. Moments ago, the tension had been so suffocating it felt like death was closing in, but the beast stopped, obeying the command of the towering man before them. Soldiers had already arrived,
their torches casting flickering light across the forest, pushing back the oppressive darkness.
"I thought we weren't supposed to light fires in the woods?" Clara asked, still shaken,
her voice laced with confusion as she watched the area brighten.
"Only if Uncle Borg is here," Mara answered calmly, almost with relief.
A deep, authoritative voice followed. "Greetings, Your Duchess. My apologies for the.late arrival. I am Borg, one of His Grace's loyal knights."
"Thank you…for saving us," Luren said, finally able to breathe again, his voice trembling slightly from the fading rush of fear.
"Light the white flare and begin searching for the Prince!" Borg barked. The soldiers immediately split off in different directions, vanishing into the trees.
"Eins, Zwei—go calm your brothers and sisters," he commanded the massive grizzlies beside him.
But one of the grizzlies, the one with a distinctive white patch on its neck, didn't move. It stood still, unmoving, as if frozen in place.
"Zwei's still as hard-headed as ever," Roan muttered, leaping up onto the massive bear's shoulder.
He gave the beast a few firm pats on the back. The bear grunted lowly, then turned to follow Eins. Roan pushed off and landed back on the ground with ease.
"Luren?!" Craige's voice rang out as he arrived in a rush, riding atop a wolvesleigh. Rolen and Keith clung to the sled behind him. Without waiting for it to stop, Craige jumped off and sprinted toward Luren,
his cloak trailing behind him.
"Your Grace!" the soldiers called out in unison, bowing deeply as he passed.
Craige didn't even break stride. His eyes scanned Luren quickly, relieved but still burning with concern.
"Well done, Borg," he said, his voice calm but commanding. "Take the rest of the men and search for Claren. Leave Vier here to guard Roan's team. No one else moves without my order."
"Yes, Your Grace," Borg and the rest moved out.
"I want to go…" Luren said quietly.
"Shut up, Luren!" Craige snapped, his voice sharp and full of anger.
Luren froze, shocked—it was the first time Craige had ever raised his voice at him. He lowered his head, tears welling in his eyes. He was glad the light was fading; it hid his trembling face as the others walked away.
"I'm sorry, Your Grace… I failed you," Roan said, falling to his knees.
Craige took a deep breath, trying to contain the storm inside him. His voice was stern but edged with worry as he turned away.
"Get ready to go back. Keith, take everyone to the manor, now."
"Roan, take Veir with you. Ione's team has already arrived here. I'll talk to you when we get back," Craige said, his voice firm and full
of authority.
"Rolen, let's go."
But before Craige could leave, Luren reached out and grabbed the hem of his shirt. The others quietly moved away, giving them space as a heavy tension hung in the air.
"I… I'm sorry…" Luren said, his voice cracking as tears welled up in his eyes.
Craige let out a long sigh and pulled him into a hug. He was never angry, he had been worried sick.
"Go back to the manor. I'll find Claren. It's too dangerous.for you to stay here," Craige said, his voice softening. He gently wiped Luren's tears and kissed the top of his head. "Remember our babies."
Luren nodded silently and clung tightly to Craige. He didn't want to let go, didn't want to leave with the weight of Craige's anger
lingering between them. Just the thought of it ached inside him.
"You'll be punished later… for endangering yourself," Craige whispered, a teasing edge in his tone, trying to lighten the heavy air between them.
Then, straightening, Craige turned to the others. "Go back now," he ordered firmly.
As Luren and the rest disappeared into the forest, Rolen silently followed Craige deeper into the shadows.
"Why didn't we ask the big man to join us before entering this place?" Clara asked, her voice trembling slightly as they navigated
through the thick, shadowy woods.
"We can't just ask them like we're going on a camping trip," Mara replied with a tired sigh. "And besides, Uncle Borg only follows His
Grace's command."
"You all know it's forbidden to enter Gravehollow without the Duke's permission," Keith added, his tone low and firm.
A heavy silence fell over the team. The weight of their defiance lingered in the air like the creeping fog around them, each step
forward deepening the unease in their chests.
---
"Are we arriving soon?" Prince Claren asked, his voice tinged with impatience as he gazed out the carriage window.
"Yes, I think so," Karin replied, though uncertainty crept into her voice. They had been traveling for days, and while the journey had been smooth so far, the road ahead was lined with fewer and fewer houses, casting an eerie stillness around them. A sense of unease began to settle in
her chest.
Knock, knock.
They both turned toward the sound. A soldier tapped on the window, his expression grim under the shadow of his helmet.
"What is it?" Karin asked, lowering the glass just enough to hear him.
"We need to take a different route. The road ahead is blocked," the soldier said firmly.
Blocked? Karin's mind raced with questions. Why now? Was it an accident... or something worse? But she kept her face composed and gave a silent nod.
"All right. Proceed," she said, though a knot of worry had already begun to form in her stomach.
The carriage veered off the main road, taking a more secluded path through the thickening woods. Dusk had already fallen, and the
sky was cloaked in a deep shade of blue. The cold crept in like a silent predator, and he instinctively pulled Prince Claren into his arms for warmth.
They had dozed off in the lull of the journey when the carriage jerked to a violent stop.
A sharp clang of steel echoed outside, followed by muffled shouts and the heavy thud of bodies hitting the ground.
Prince Karin bolted upright and pulled back the curtain. His eyes widened in horror.
Masked men, cloaked in black and moving like shadows, were locked in a brutal clash with the palace soldiers. Blades clashed in flashes of silver, and the air was thick with the sound of grunts, dying gasps, and the
hiss of steel tearing through flesh.
One soldier was dragged from his horse and stabbed repeatedly before he could scream. Another masked attacker was knocked down by a halberd, but before the soldier could recover, a second mask emerged from
behind and slit his throat.
"What is happening?!" Karin whispered hoarsely, his voice trembling with panic.
"Keep moving!" the head soldier barked, slamming his hand against the carriage side. Blood smeared his armor, and a gash bled from his temple, but his eyes burned with determination.
"Protect the Princes at all cost!" he roared as he turned back to the chaos, raising his sword against the next incoming blow.
The night was no longer quiet. It had turned into a battlefield drenched in blood and fear.
"Hold on tightly!" the coachman shouted, yanking the reins.
The carriage jolted forward, picking up speed as if something was chasing them through the darkening woods.
"Are we going to die?" Prince Claren whimpered, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"No..no, of course not," Prince Karin said, pulling the boy into a firm embrace. He tightened his grip on the sheath of his sword, heart pounding, every nerve on edge. "The palace knights are here. They'll protect
us."
He glanced out the narrow window, his breath catching. Flames from fallen torches flickered in the distance. Some of the knights were still fighting, riding beside them, but their numbers had dwindled. Nearly half
were gone.
Karin's jaw clenched. They're dying for us… and whatever's out there isn't finished yet.