Kleo pushed her senses outward, searching for the wolf's presence. It should be easy to find. Its signature had been obvious during their earlier encounter, a pulsing, malevolent force that marked it apart from the forest's natural rhythm. But as they ventured deeper, the oppressive gloom of the woods thickened, muting the threads of mana and shrouding everything with its suffocating aura.

  The wolf was still there; she could feel that much, but its location remained elusive.

  It was clever—far cleverer than she’d assumed.

  During their first encounter, she had felt its gaze, predatory and probing. It had studied her, and though she didn’t know what it had gleaned, there had been unmistakable curiosity in how it lingered on her before shifting to Jack.

  She knew the wolf had gained a moment of insight. Dismissing him and returning its focus to her. A mistake, she thought. If the wolf underestimated Jack, they might use that to their advantage. Jack was resourceful and strong; she knew he would find his courage when the moment came.

  The question she couldn’t answer was when it would strike. The wolf had the patience of a seasoned hunter, and this game of cat and mouse had no clear endpoint. The wolf would attack on its terms, using the terrain to its advantage, striking from above or the shadows. It would rely on speed and brute strength to overwhelm them before they could react.

  She clenched her fists, her dagger itching for use. We’ll react. We have to.

  Her mind spun through scenarios. The wolf would likely target her as she was the more significant threat. An intelligent predator would eliminate the strongest opponent first. At least, that seemed the most likely strategy. But it could go for Jack. A swift, brutal elimination of the weaker target would leave her vulnerable and force her into a defensive position. Her grip tightened on the hilt of her blade. She didn’t want to dwell on that possibility.

  She turned back to Jack, who was scanning the dense forest behind them with wary eyes.

  “Jack.”

  He looked up, alert but calm. “What’s up?”

  Kleo hesitated for a moment, then stepped closer, lowering her voice.

  “I can’t pin its location down—not with this aura clouding everything. When the wolf strikes, it’ll be fast. We won’t have the luxury of thinking things through.”

  Jack nodded, his expression serious.

  “I’m going to give you something,” she continued. “It’s like magical armor—very effective against darker energies. It will help, but don’t rely on it.”

  “What about you?” he asked, frowning.

  She smiled, her voice steady but tinged with warmth. “Don’t worry about me. If it goes for me, I’ll handle it. You focus on staying alive. If one of us goes down, we’re as good as dead.”

  Jack opened his mouth to protest, but something in her expression silenced him. She reached out, tracing a glyph in the air with her fingers, her mana flaring as she whispered an incantation. A soft glow shimmered around Jack before fading, the energy settling into his form unseen.

  “There,” she said, stepping back. “Remember, it won’t make you invincible.”

  Jack gave her a grim smile. “Thanks. I’ll try not to need it.”

  She nodded, scanning the shadows ahead. Her instincts screamed that the wolf would strike her first. And if that happened… Jack wouldn’t have much time. But she couldn’t let herself think about that. Not yet.

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  Instead, she adjusted her grip on her dagger and stepped forward, her senses sharp, her focus honed. The wolf was out there, and it would come for them soon. She would be ready.

  Kleo caught a strong sense of the wolf’s presence, and they shifted course. Her mental map showed they were near the abandoned fortress, though she had yet to see it.

  The wolf moved eastward, leisurely but purposeful. Kleo strained to pinpoint its location, but the oppressive aura muddled everything. The dark aura was like static in her senses. At one point, she thought she saw a flicker of movement among the trees, but it could have been her imagination. She tried to let go of her thoughts and fears, trusting her instincts to guide them, but doubt gnawed at her.

  “I need to pee,” Jack muttered, grimacing.

  It was the third time in the past two hours. Kleo opened her mouth, ready to snap, but caught herself. He wasn’t wrong to complain—it had been an agonizingly slow day—but her nerves were frayed, and she had no patience to give.

  “I know, Jack,” she said through clenched teeth. “But the wolf is close. It’s been circling us for the last fifteen minutes.”

  Jack’s face darkened as he scanned their surroundings. His voice was low and steady.

  “Yeah. It’s leading us. Look.”

  Ahead, the trees thinned, giving way to a clearing of dirt and gravel. Looming beyond were low, crumbling walls, and still further beyond, the faint outline of what had to be the fortress’s courtyard.

  The dying light of day cast long, eerie shadows across the ruins, and Kleo’s heart sank. The night was coming fast, and they were running out of time.

  She exhaled. “Whatever’s in there is the real problem. If the Woogs are right, something corrupted the wolf. That something lies inside those walls. If we remove it, the wolf won’t be an issue anymore. But…”

  Jack finished her thought. “But we could end up fighting both of them at the same time.”

  Kleo nodded grimly. In tandem with an unknown horror, the wolf was the thing of nightmares. She realized too late that they had been maneuvered into a trap.

  “This is all my fault. I got us in way over our heads,” Kleo said, her voice low and heavy with guilt.

  Jack turned sharply, his tone firm.

  “Hey. We’re not doing whatever this is.”

  She blinked at him, startled.

  “You need to stop,” he continued. “Take a breath. Get your head clear. Then we make a plan and stick to it.”

  “What kind of plan?” Kleo asked, more curious than sarcastic.

  “Any plan,” Jack said with a small, wry smile. “Doesn’t matter. Everyone knows the plan will fall apart as soon as things get going. That’s when we do what we’re best at—we adapt, improvise, and win.”

  Kleo couldn’t help but smile, even if it were fleeting.

  “I wish I had your devil-may-care attitude sometimes.”

  “It’s served me well,” Jack replied, shrugging. “But it’s not for everyone.”

  Then his expression shifted, growing serious.

  “Look, you’re not going to like what I’m about to say, but this is the time and place to say it.”

  Kleo arched an eyebrow, bracing herself. “Go on.”

  “You’re letting me hold you back,” Jack said, locking their eyes.

  Her stomach twisted. “That’s not true.”

  “It is,” Jack pressed. “Since we left this morning, how many times have you thought about me getting hurt? Or worse?”

  She bit her lip. The truth was unbearable. It hadn’t just crossed her mind—it owned her. She was so consumed by worry that she couldn't think straight.

  “What’s your point, Jack?” Her voice cracked, frustration leaking through. “It’s getting dark. We’re in the middle of nowhere. I need you to spell it out because I can’t read between the lines right now.”

  “My point is,” Jack said, “you’re not trusting yourself. And if you can’t trust yourself, how can I trust you? And if you can’t trust me, how can I trust myself?”

  The words hit her like a slap. She stared at him, processing, wanting to argue but knowing he was right. She was holding back—her instincts, her decisions—all because of fear. And it wasn’t fear for herself. It was fear for him.

  She sighed. “Fine. You’re right. But we need a plan. So if what you’re saying is true, you make the plan.”

  Jack didn’t hesitate. “You take the wolf. I scout the fortress. We meet by the brook before dark and figure out our next steps.”

  The word no rose instinctively in her throat, but she swallowed it.

  Dammit, she thought. It was the right plan. She hated how much sense it made. She was better suited to tracking and confronting the wolf, and Jack’s knack for stealth made him the perfect choice for the fortress. But letting him go off alone filled her with dread.

  He had called her out. He wasn’t wrong. She couldn’t argue.

  They were holding each other back. If they survived this, they’d have a long talk about how to handle things better in the future. But for now, she had to trust him.

  “Fine,” she said, her voice steady. “But Jack, promise me one thing.”

  “Anything.”

  “Don’t die.”

  He grinned. “Only if you promise the same.”

  She smiled despite her anxiety. “Deal.”

  As they parted ways, Kleo felt the weight of her fears pressing down harder than ever. But Jack was right. She couldn’t afford to let them rule her. Not now. Not when everything was on the line.